The New Cards
by phantomhive
Summary: Chapter sixteen new! Time for a new beginning...new friends, new enemies...The adventure is starting all over again... [incomplete]
1. Another Beginning

Author's Note: Before I start this fan fic series, I'd like people to know that seeing how I like the characters' names in the Japanese version better than their American counterpart, I'll be using those. If you don't know which characters are which, you can e-mail me (if you want) to get a list of the Japanese and American names. Also, if you don't want to read about a few tidbits of spoilers about the Sakura Cards series (but to let you know, Syaoran hadn't told Sakura he loves her before going back to Hong Kong and the second movie never happened), then you might not want to read this. I've incorporated a little bit from that series. I've only seen the American version, so things may not really be one hundred percent accurate. Sorry! 

****

The New Cards 

Another Beginning: Chapter One

By: [Sakura][1]

A dark figure slipped into the shadows and disappeared from their sight. Syaoran whirled around, trying to decipher where it went. Somewhere behind him, he heard a scream split the silent night air. Card Mistress! He ran as fast as he could toward the sound. He stopped short when he saw her, lifeless on the ground. Her name immediately sprang to his lips. 

"Sakura!" 

Syaoran woke up with a start and sat up gasping. Beads of sweat rolled down his face. He took several breaths to calm his racing heart. It was just a dream. That's all. He stood up and walked over to his window and looked out over the beautiful city of Hong Kong. He closed his eyes and thought of another place, the place that he had left. "You have to go back," an inner voice told him, as Syaoran lay back down on his bed. "Go back to Japan." His thoughts turned to events that had happened in the old days…when he was still a Card Captor. How he missed them…and her…He soon fell into a peaceful, and dreamless, sleep. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"…and he hasn't written to you since then?" 

Sakura sighed sorrowfully. "No, he hasn't. You know, Tomoyo, I really miss him more than ever now that he's stopped writing to me. What am I going to do?" 

"Don't give up hope, Sakura," came Tomoyo's voice over the phone. "Everything will be okay, remember? I'm sure he has a good reason for not writing. Who knows?" she added mischievously. "Maybe Syaoran will show up at your school tomorrow." 

Sakura chuckled. "That'd be nice." 

There was a slight pause on Tomoyo's end as she glanced at her clock. "Oh! I didn't realize it was so late. Well, good night, Sakura." 

"Good night, Tomoyo." 

Sakura hung up the phone with a small sigh. Kero, hearing her, flew over to her side. "What's wrong, Sakura? Still worried about that Li-brat?" 

Sakura waved Kero away. "He's not a brat, Kero." 

Kero folded his arms. "Then why isn't he answering your letters?" 

"Leave me alone, Kero," answered Sakura, snuggling into her bed. "I need my rest. Something tells me that I won't be getting much of it soon." 

Kero flew over to the lamp and turned it off. He turned his gaze outside, where the wind was howling and leaves were being blown into smithereens. "I get the feeling you're right, Sakura." 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Why do I keep doing this?" 

Kero lifted his little head up and eyes Sakura warily. Sakura was speeding around her room, trying to get dressed, get her school bag ready, and everything. This was the second week of high school for Sakura and she was going to be late again if she didn't hurry. 

Kero sat up and yawned. "You're fourteen already, Sakura," he said. "So why can't you learn to wake up on time? It's not like you're still ten." 

Sakura smiled brightly at him. "It's force of habit, I guess." She glanced at the clock again. "I have to go now. Bye, Kero!" she called as she ran down the stairs. 

Kero shook his head, a half-smile on his face. "That girl never changes." 

Downstairs, Sakura couldn't find her roller blades, so she opted to walk instead. After waving goodbye to her father and Touya, she hurried down the street, on her way to school. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Morning, Sakura!" 

Sakura came into the school grounds, gasping, as Chiharu greeted her. Chiharu studied her. "Did you run all the way to school?" Sakura nodded breathlessly. The two girls went to meet up with Rika and Naoko inside as the bell rang. 

"It's too bad that Tomoyo still can't be with us," thought Sakura as she walked through the hallways toward her locker. When it was almost time for high school to begin, Tomoyo had told her that she'd be going to a private school from then on. Sakura missed her friend a great deal. 

With all her books in hand, Sakura entered the classroom. Their teacher hadn't arrived yet, so everyone was milling about and chatting with their friends or their closest neighbours. She went straight to her desk and dropped her books on top of it. Sakura, once again, sat by the window, on the second last seat. She sat down and gazed out the window, daydreaming. She was thinking back to the old days, when she was trying to capture the Clow Cards she had accidentally released. Then she thought of the time she had changed the Clow Cards into the Sakura Cards. That had been her hardest feat yet. 

The students' teacher, Mr. Terada, entered the classroom and everyone quieted down and went to their seats. Before checking the attendance list, he picked up a note on his desk and read it. Walking to the front of the class, he announced the arrival of two new students, one coming from Hong Kong, the other from Northern China. Sakura turned her attention from daydreaming and fixed her eyes on Mr. Terada. Could Syaoran be back? Chiharu, sitting in front of Sakura, turned around to face her. 

"Hey, Sakura," she said. "Maybe Syaoran's back." Sakura blushed but didn't answer her. The door opened and Mr. Terada gestured for the two students to come into the classroom as the class looked on curiously. Sakura held her breath for a moment, but let it out when she saw the two new students. Neither of them was Syaoran. 

Both of the new students were guys, and one of them caught her interest almost immediately. They both had short hair, one with a chestnut-shade, another with a hue of midnight-blue. The boy with the chestnut hair also had hazel eyes. He was the one to catch her attention. The resemblance between him and Syaoran was astounding. He could have passed for his brother, except, of course, the fact that Syaoran had no brothers, only four sisters. At first, Sakura had thought it was Syaoran, but upon realizing it wasn't, her disappointment was great. 

The two students walked to the front of the classroom. "I'd like you all to welcome Li Di Shang," said Mr. Terada, indicating the hazel-eyed boy. Turning to the other boy, he added, "And Chen Chi Yuen. I hope you'll all give them a nice, warm welcome. Also, maybe someone can show them around the school later." The whole class nodded. Looking around the classroom, Mr. Terada tried to decide where to place the two newcomers. "All right, Chi Yuen, you can sit next to Kinomoto Sakura," he said, pointing to Sakura. "And you can sit behind him, Di Shang." Both boys nodded and Di Shang walked down the aisle first. Sakura looked at him, questioningly, after he smiled at her, before he settled down in his seat. Chi Yuen gazed at Sakura as he sat down in his seat, and Sakura, feeling the gaze but not turning to meet it, could feel shivers going down her spine. 

Why was he affecting her like that? Sakura couldn't understand it. But she was never given the chance to think about it. As soon as the two boys sat down, the lesson began and her thoughts turned toward the blackboard. 

The two new boys were also deep in thought. But neither were thinking about the schoolwork… 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"So, this is the Card Mistress I've heard so much about," thought Di Shang. "Hmm…Syaoran never was one to describe things - or people - in great detail. I wish he told me more…" 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Her powers are strong…but maybe not enough," Chi Yuen smirked. He would have no problem with her. Sakura's personality, combined with magic powers and innocence, made her an easy target. But he still had a real and more annoying thorn in his side. What was Di Shang doing here? 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Sakura took out her lunch and sat by herself. She wanted to be alone for a change. She was sensing something, something that was out of place. It didn't make any sense to her. Suddenly, someone reached out and touched her shoulder. Sakura cried out with surprise. Rika came from behind her and sat down with her friend, opening her own lunch box. Chiharu and Naoko joined them soon after. 

"Is something wrong, Sakura?" asked Rika. "You seem really nervous about something." 

Sakura shook her head and pasted a bright smile on her face. "Me, nervous? Something wrong?" she stuttered. "Nope, I can't think of anything that could be the matter." 

Naoko nudged Chiharu. "Maybe she's thinking about that new guy," she said. "You know, the one that looks like Syaoran." 

Chiharu nodded in agreement. "Even the other guy's pretty cute. But you know," she said, as an afterthought. "He's not as cute as Takashi." 

"Yeah," added Rika. "And I bet he doesn't tell as great - and unbelievable - stories as Takashi!" 

"Remember the one about the ghosts?" inputted Naoko. 

The three girls burst out laughing. Sakura, not wanting them to think they should worry about her, laughed with them. As her friends continued on with Takashi's wild stories, Sakura wished the day would just end. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Bye, Chiharu, Rika, Naoko!" 

Classes were over for the day and Sakura left the school, but she didn't go home the usual way. For some reason, unknown to herself, Sakura wanted to pass by Syaoran's old apartment building. She never stopped retaining the thought that he would return and that she could finally tell him how she felt… 

Deep in thought, Sakura wasn't paying much attention to her surroundings and crashed into the person in front of her. She sat up and rubbed her head. Looking up, she saw a hand outstretched in front of her. The person connected to that hand was Di Shang. He smiled at her. 

"Here," he said. "Let me give you a hand." Sakura took it wordlessly and Di Shang helped her to stand up. 

"He looks so much like Syaoran…" she thought. Sakura blushed. "I'm sorry about that," she said aloud. "I can be a little clumsy sometimes." 

Di Shang laughed easily, a sound that would had been emitted very little from Syaoran. "You?" he said. "That's hard to believe." He smiled warmly at her. "I don't think we've been formally introduced. Hi, my name's Li Di Shang." He shook her hand. 

Sakura, not noticing that she still had her hand clasped to his until he shook hers, blushed and said, "I'm Kinomoto Sakura. Nice to meet you." 

"Would you mind if I walked you home, Sakura?" 

Sakura looked away for a moment, her cheeks turning a brighter tint of pink. She turned back to face Di Shang with a smile. "That'd be really nice. Thanks." The two walked together on the sidewalk, towards Sakura's home. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Who was that, Sakura?" asked Touya, as Sakura was walking into the living room. 

"That was Di Shang," she replied. "He's new in school." 

"Hmm…" thought Touya, as he watched Di Shang walking down the street. "He looks a lot like that Li-kid…" It had been three years since Touya had seen Syaoran, and the longer, the better. He didn't like the fact that Syaoran was getting so close to his little sister. Touya didn't trust him one bit. After all, he did try to hurt Sakura on the first day he met her. 

Sakura passed through the parlour and walked into the kitchen. "Hello, Yukito," she called cheerfully to her brother's best friend. He seemed to be in the middle of an afternoon snack. 

For a moment, Yukito's eyes turned blue as he gazed at Sakura, but instantly they turned back. Yukito smiled at Sakura. "So how was school, Sakura?" 

Sakura had noticed the change but she couldn't mention it to Yukito just yet. "It was okay. There are two new boys at our school." 

Yukito put down the mug he was using on the table. "What are their names?" 

"Well," she started. "There's this one boy who looks a great deal like Syaoran. His name is Li Di Shang." Sakura looked at Yukito hopefully. "Do you recognize the name?" 

Yukito looked thoughtful for a moment. "It's like I should know this name," he said finally. "But for some reason, I can't remember where I could have heard it." 

Sakura decided now wouldn't have been the best time to discuss this with Yukito. Perhaps if he was Yue…but he couldn't transform, especially not with Touya in the next room. "That's okay," she said. "If you ever do remember, let me know." Sakura picked up the small plate of food she had been preparing and went to her room, to give it to Kero. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Kero stared long and hard out the window. 

For some reason, the winds had been blowing out of proportion lately, especially at night. Also, Kero had begun to sense another set of powers. Could there be more Clow Cards? "That's impossible," thought Kero. "But still…" 

Sakura was lolling over her math problems, not really keeping her heart into it. Something didn't feel right. She got up and walked over to where Kero was, by the window. "Kero," she said. "Do you sense something…strange?" 

Kero turned to Sakura. "Do you?" he asked. 

Sakura looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well, I seem to be feeling some sort of power…" 

"And how do they feel?" 

"Well…" she started, trailing off. Sakura closed her eyes and blocked out other common senses. She tried to isolate the lone force she kept sensing. Her eyes flew open. "It feels like a Clow Card!" Kero just nodded. "But, Kero, we captured all the Clow Cards, didn't we?" 

Kero nodded again. "And then they became the Sakura Cards. I think we have a new set of cards to deal with here." Kero indicated to the window. "Come on, Sakura, let's go." 

Sakura nodded. "Right!" She opened the window, but was immediately pushed to the other end of the room. The winds were especially harsh and blew everything out of balance. Taking out her Star Key, Sakura changed it into the wand and called out for the Fly Card. A pair of wings sprouted from the wand and sitting on the wand, with Kero holding on to her jacket sleeve, she tried to fly out of her room. After many attempts and many crashes, Sakura finally succeeded flying out the window and she flew straight into the wind. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

The wind was strong. Far stronger than either Sakura or Kero had anticipated. Fly was useless now. Sakura called out for Watery, but it wasn't strong enough. A wind attack flew toward Sakura, ready to dash her to the ground. Kero transformed to Cerberus, and tried to protect the Card Mistress, but the wind tangled him up and his wings were useless. Falling to the ground, he transformed back into the little doll we were all so used to. 

"Kero!" cried Sakura. Pulling out another card, she called, "Jump!" Little wings grew out of her shoes as she strove to dodge the wind's attacks. The wind turned into a visible form. It reminded Sakura of the Windy Card. Gusts of wind blew in her direction. Sakura held up her arms to cover her face, her wand clutched tight in her hands. 

"Lightning! Strike!" 

Sakura dropped her arms lower to see who had called out the attack. The winds changed direction and was now attacking someone else. The boy was moving with excess speed, skilfully dodging every attack by the winds and continued to counterattack with Lightning. It was hard for Sakura to see who it was, for all that she could see was someone wearing blue robes. Were they Chinese ceremonial robes? The winds, giving up on their target, changed their direction again and were now aimed for Sakura. Sakura hadn't noticed the change until it was too late, but the boy swept by and pulled her out of harm's way. 

Sakura looked up at her rescuer and gasped aloud. "Di Shang!" she exclaimed. 

Di Shang nodded. "That's right, Card Mistress." He smiled at her. "Are you all right?" 

"How did you know I was…" 

"A friend told me," he answered. "You may remember him as Li Syaoran." Sakura's surprise was even greater at the mention of his name. Di Shang helped her to stand up. 

Sakura bowed slightly to her new friend. "Thank you for saving me." 

Di Shang headed back toward the winds. "Come on," he said, turning to look back at her. "We have a card to seal." Sakura nodded in agreement. Di Shang motioned for Sakura, together with him, to attack on both sides of the wind. "It's the Gust Card," he shouted. "The only way to seal this card is to trap it somehow. Try the Shadow Card!" 

Sakura pulled out the Shadow Card. "Shadow!" she cried. The card turned into its visible form and attempted to trap the wind with its shadows. Di Shang was off to one side, trying to distract the Gust at the same time, so Sakura could seal the card, but all in vain. The Gust threw the Shadow off its back and the Shadow became a card again. The Gust then formed balls of energy in its hands and shot them at Sakura. 

Sakura was struck hard by one of the orbs and was pushed into the distance, heading toward the big penguin slide in the middle of the park. Di Shang tried to go after her, but the Gust cut him off. As Sakura closed her eyes and prepared for impact with the slide, someone caught her. The person gathered her into their arms and then landed neatly on the ground. 

Sakura partially opened her eyelids to see who had saved her. For a moment, she couldn't see who it was. On a closer inspection, she saw that the person who saved her was a boy of about fourteen, with brown eyes, which were filled with anger directed toward the Gust. He wore green Chinese ceremonial robes and had a hat to match, topping off his usually unruly brown hair. "Syaoran?" she whispered softly, with astonishment. Syaoran turned to face her. The anger left his eyes and his expression softened. 

"Are you all right, Sakura?" he asked her. 

Sakura nodded mutely. She didn't know what to say. Syaoran…he had come back to Japan! After three long years…Finally finding her voice, Sakura uttered her thanks. The emotions she felt were spinning out of control inside of her. 

Syaoran nodded. "It's not over yet," he said. "We have to defeat that card. Do you have your Thunder Card with you?" 

Sakura pulled it out of her pocket and the card spun before. Using her wand, Sakura released the Thunder. Syaoran pulled out his sword and called upon the forces of Lightning. Some distance away from the pair, Di Shang also called out for the powers of Lightning. Lightning shot out from two different sources and attacked together with the Thunder Card. The Gust, easily weakened by such opponents, could barely defend itself and fell to the ground. 

Sakura immediately went to the card and attempted to seal it, but it was much more difficult than she expected. Sealing the Clow Cards hadn't been that hard before, but these cards were different. She found herself losing energy and she wouldn't be able to seal the card if she didn't have enough strength. And if she didn't seal it, the card would be lost. After a few moments, Sakura began to feel light-headed and collapsed. Syaoran stepped forward and she fell into his arms. Di Shang went over to the Gust. Taking his sword, he was able to seal the Gust and turn it into a card, but not without some trouble first. Picking up the newly sealed card, he walked over to Syaoran and Sakura. 

Sakura was unconscious for lack of energy. Syaoran and Di Shang looked at each other wordlessly, each wondering how this could have happened to the Card Mistress. Hearing a groan behind them, they both turned around and Syaoran was whacked in the face by a speeding Kero. Syaoran glared at the little guardian. 

"What was that for?" he demanded. 

"That was for letting Sakura get hurt." answered Kero, folding his arms. 

"I didn't _let_ her get hurt," Syaoran shot back. "Besides, where were you? Asleep again?" 

Kero was about to answer that when Di Shang clamped his little mouth shut. "Don't argue, both of you," he said. "I don't think the Card Mistress would really appreciate that." He let go of Kero and presented to him the Gust Card. "Here, Kero," he added. "Give this to Sakura when she comes to. She deserves it. Even if she didn't succeed in sealing it, she weakened it a great deal so I could seal it." 

Kero accepted the card and looked at Di Shang skeptically. "Who are you, anyway?" 

"His name's Li Di Shang. Have you forgotten already, Cerberus?" 

Yue glided down and landed smoothly on the ground. He knelt down by Sakura's side and placed his hand on her forehead. The worry in his blue eyes dissolved. "She's just lost a lot of energy," he said. "She'll be okay." 

"How many descendants does Clow Reed have, anyway?" Kero muttered to himself. "We better get Sakura home," he said aloud. "Her brother could have walked into her room at anytime and noticed she was gone. I don't think he'll be too happy." The two cousins nodded, standing up. 

Yue picked Sakura up and held his Mistress in his arms. He immediately spread his wings and took off into the night sky, with Kero, after casting one final glare at Syaoran, trailing behind him. 

Di Shang watched them go before turning to Syaoran. "Well, cousin, it's time we left." Syaoran nodded curtly, but didn't answer him. 

As they walked back home, Di Shang watched Syaoran's back intently. He stopped for a moment. "Why did you come?" he finally said. 

Syaoran answered him, but didn't stop walking. "The Card Mistress was in danger and I had to be there for her." 

Di Shang smiled at his cousin's tone. "You had that dream again, didn't you?" 

Syaoran ignored the question and walked into the apartment complex and headed for his room. Syaoran currently resided alone. His cousin also lived in the same building. The two could have shared the same apartment, but neither wanted to. There was far too much rivalry between them. 

Back when they were little, they (and Meiling) had trained together and they were all close, but with some rivalries for sport. As they grew older, the competitions became more and more serious. Di Shang had been exceeding angry when the Elders chose Syaoran to recapture the Clow Cards instead of him and since that moment, their relationship was strained, and whatever closeness was left, vanished. 

In his bedroom, Syaoran put his sword on the table and heaved a small sigh. Sitting down on the edge of his bed, he held his head in his hands. He had failed to help Sakura. He wanted to kick himself for his mistakes. He wasn't supposed to let her get hurt! If anything were to happen to her…He couldn't let anything happen to her. Whatever the threat was, he would do his best to - no, make sure to protect her from everything. That was a promise. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Yue gently deposited the Card Mistress on her bed. Pulling a sheet over, he gently put it over her to make it appear as if she were in bed. Hearing footsteps coming from the hallway, Yue immediately took his leave. Sakura was now slowly coming to. "…Syaoran…?" she murmured. 

Kero shook his head. What was he going to do? Sakura obviously still cared for that brat and nothing he said could change her mind. The door opened a crack and Kero instantly froze into a doll, dropping onto the desk. Touya peeked into the room. Sakura was turning about in her sleep, calling out for someone. 

Touya walked into the room and settled by the side of the bed. He placed his hand on Sakura's forehead and tried to soothe her. For some reason, his little sister was calling for Syaoran. He thought that kid had gone back to Hong Kong three years ago, so why was Sakura dreaming about him now? She soon quieted down into a peaceful sleep. Touya watched her tenderly for a minute, then leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the forehead. Afterwards, he got up and left the room. Kero breathed a sigh of relief and flew over to Sakura. He settled down on the little shelf over the bed, curled up, and fell asleep. 

Author's Note: The first chapter to my first CCS Fic is complete. Feedback would be nice and greatly appreciated =). Does anyone know if Meiling is the name of Syaoran's cousin in the Japanese version? If it isn't Meiling, I'll have it changed for the coming chapters…

*Sakura

~The Animé Archives Team

   [1]: mailto:taateam@hotmail.com?subject=New Cards Fan Fic



	2. The Jiao?

****

The New Cards 

The Jiao?: Chapter Two

By: [Sakura][1]

Sakura's eyes slowly opened. 

She lifted her head groggily and sat up, smoothing out her rumpled clothes. "What happened last night?" she murmured to herself, rubbing her head. Something on her desk caught her eye. It was a card. The Gust Card, to be exact. Getting up from her bed, Sakura walked over to her desk and examined the card. It looked a lot like the former Clow Cards, only with a midnight blue background and a dark yellow border. 

Sakura picked up the card and a flash of light followed. She immediately shielded her eyes from the light. After a few moments, Sakura looked down at the card she was holding. The borders and background had turned to a familiar pink shade, signifying its change to a Sakura Card. Kero, just waking up, flew over to Sakura and perched on her shoulder, yawning widely. 

Looking at the card in his Mistress' hand, Kero said with an exclamation, "All right! You changed it to a Sakura Card!" 

Sakura smiled back at her little guardian. Slipping the card into her pocket, Sakura picked up her school bag. Patting Kero on the head, she said, "Get some rest, Kero. You need it. No more video games for you today." With that said, she left the room and headed downstairs. 

Kero yawned again and, after flying to Sakura's bed, snuggled down in the sheets. "You're probably right." 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Sakura ran into the classroom, afraid she would be late. 

Upon entering the room, Sakura saw it was empty, save for Di Shang. She was thankful school hadn't started yet. Di Shang was taking out his workbooks and was placing them on his desk, his back to the door. He paused for a moment and turned around. Seeing Sakura, he greeted her with a smile. 

Sakura smiled back. Walking over, she dropped her bag onto her desk and fell into her seat with an exhausted sigh. Di Shang went over to Chi Yuen's seat and sat down, facing Sakura, a look of concern on his face. 

"Are you all right, Card Mistress?" he asked. 

"Call me Sakura," answered Sakura wanly. "I just feel very tired." 

Di Shang nodded understandingly. "Capturing the Jiao Cards is not the same as capturing the Clow Cards. I should know. It's a very difficult task." 

"Jiao Cards?" exclaimed Sakura with surprise. "What-" 

Her sentence was cut short when the school bell rang. Students immediately began milling into the class, chattering. Di Shang walked back to his seat and sat down. The rest of the class settled down and took their seats as Mr. Terada walked in. Sakura wished to get a chance to ask Di Shang about the Jiao Cards. She was curious to know what they are. So deep in thought, Sakura never noticed she was quietly being observed by Chi Yuen. His expression vaguely showed his true feelings, but deep down, he was feeling troubled by something. Something that worried him a great deal. 

The classroom door opened and in stepped a Chinese boy with an aura of seemingly indifference around him. The classroom began to buzz with students conversing with each other about the appearance of the newcomer. 

But to seven pairs of eyes, this was no newcomer. As Mr. Terada motioned for the class to calm down, the boy handed Mr. Terada a note and Mr. Terada announced, "Well, class, it looks like we're lucky to have another student join us, also coming from Hong Kong." A murmur of surprise went through the class. 

Chiharu turned around and whispered to Sakura. "Can you believe it? He came back." Sakura nodded silently, unable to take her eyes off him. 

"To those of you whom haven't met him before," continued Mr. Terada. "This is Li Syaoran. Please show him a warm welcome." Mr. Terada looked around the class, giving them a stern gaze to be a little quieter, and to find Syaoran a seat. Looking at Syaoran, he said, "You may take the empty seat behind Kinomoto Sakura." Smiling at the younger boy, he added, "And welcome back." Syaoran nodded and walked to his seat. Just about everyone watched him as he walked down the aisle. But Syaoran paid them no attention, his eyes were only on Sakura, who blushed when her eyes met his and turned to look out the window, as if something interesting outside caught her attention. Syaoran placed his bag on his desk and settled into his seat. Several people noticed the similarity in looks between Di Shang and Syaoran and began commenting, but Mr. Terada called their attention to the lesson. 

Upon sitting down, Syaoran found a small folded piece of paper lying on his desk. Unfolding the paper, it read: "Just like old times. ^_^" Though it was unsigned, Syaoran recognized the writing. He had seen it on countless letters sent to him over the last three years. Letters he had treasured for they were from the person he loved most…Sakura turned around and her expression was lighted up with a beautiful smile on her face. Syaoran flashed her one of his rare smiles and nodded. "It's good to be back," he thought. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

The school bell rang and the boys and girls in the classrooms began to file out noisily for lunch. The only people left in the classroom was Sakura, Syaoran, and Di Shang. With the room empty of other people, Sakura took the opportunity to ask Di Shang the question on her mind for most of the morning. 

"Di Shang," she started. "What are the Jiao Cards?" Syaoran, not knowing either, fixed his eyes on his cousin, awaiting the answer. 

Di Shang opened his mouth to answer, but no sound came out for Mr. Terada entered the room. "Come on," he said. "Time for your lunch break." The three students nodded and left the room right away. 

Outside, Di Shang led Sakura and Syaoran to a secluded corner in the schoolyard. Stopping under a large tree, he sat down, having his companions do so, too. Reaching into his back pocket, Di Shang pulled out five cards. Each card had a midnight blue background and a dark yellow border. Holding them up to show his peers, Di Shang said, "These are the Jiao Cards." 

Sakura and Syaoran studied them closely. The names of the five cards are "The Veil", "The Rock", "The Lightning", "The Crystal", and "The Thought". Looking up, Sakura asked, "How did you obtain these cards, Di Shang?" 

"I battled them when I was in China," he answered. "And I sealed and captured them." He held the cards out to Sakura. "Take them," he said. 

Surprise sprang onto her expression. "But I can't," she said. 

"You have to," said Di Shang. He continued to insist for her to take them. Sakura shook her head firmly and pushed the cards back to Di Shang. As she touched them, Sakura could feel some of her energy leaving her and transferring to the five cards, causing them all to become Sakura Cards. Di Shang smiled. "Now you must accept them." Sakura took them from him and looked them over. Syaoran frowned. Something wasn't right. 

"How was she able to change them so quickly?" he asked suspiciously. 

Di Shang shrugged. Syaoran picked him up by the collar of his shirt and roughly shoved his cousin against the tree trunk. Sakura was aghast by this action. "I want answers," he said angrily. 

Di Shang shook his head. "I don't know myself. I was told that only she would have the power to transform them." 

"By who?" 

"The Elders." Di Shang answered simply. "If you'll just calm down and let go of me, I'll explain everything." Syaoran glared at him first. Then he slowly put him down and released his collar. Dusting himself off, Di Shang took a deep breath. "All right," he started. "I'll explain as best as I can. The Jiao Cards, so called because of their creator, Jiao Wan, are similar to the former Clow Cards by their properties. Each card possesses magic adequate to their name. Jiao Wan (his last name unknown to us) had studied magic alongside Clow Reed. Both of them had made their own set of cards. While the Clow Cards were made mostly to help and assist people, the Jiao Cards were created for evil and malice." 

"Jiao Wan and Clow Reed had always been rivals, but they became enemies because of this. They constantly battled each other, using their cards. After many decades of combat, Clow Reed defeated Jiao Wan, encased the Jiao Cards with a special seal, and banished them. Jiao Wan was never seen again since their final battle and his cards disappeared as well. Or so we thought. About six months ago, Jiao Cards began appearing and wrecking havoc as they went along. The Elders have sent me to find and seal them before they can do more damage. So that was my mission." 

"What does your mission have to with Sakura?" demanded Syaoran, interrupting him. 

Di Shang held up a hand for him to be quiet. "Give me a moment, cousin," he said, saying the last word with pointed emphasis. "I was getting there. Complications soon occurred. Even though I had already captured and sealed the cards, they still did not go under my power. Neither the Elders nor I could figure it out. Soon the cards began breaking the seal and escaping. You don't know how many times I have captured and recaptured these cards. The Elders then came to a conclusion that if the cards were transformed and placed under the care of another Master, we could defeat these cards once and for all." 

Di Shang looked at Sakura. "This is where we needed your help. The cards, of course, had been sealed and banished by Clow Reed and the seal could not break without powerful magic. Along with searching for the cards, I also had to track the user. I had stayed in China for several months when, one day, the cards - and their user - disappeared without a trace. The Elders have somehow discovered the user - with the Jiao Cards in their possession - fled to Japan. They remembered (though not happily) that Clow Reed's successor resided in Japan and that with her help, we could transform the cards into the Sakura Cards. It's the only way to completely defeat the Jiao Cards. So that was my latest mission and that concludes everything that has happened. You both know the rest." Placing his hand on Sakura's shoulder, Di Shang smiled and added, "I know we'll defeat them together." 

Sakura looked down at her new cards. She now had six all together. Tomoyo would have to hear about this, and Sakura bet her friend would be disappointed that she never taped another card capture, or had an outfit ready for her. Sakura looked up at Di Shang and nodded with a smile. 

Di Shang turned to face Syaoran and, smiling innocently, said, "Why did you come here, Syaoran? I know for a fact the Elders hadn't sent you to help or else I would've heard from them already. And I doubt they would send you anyway, since you aren't exactly favourable in their eyes." Sakura looked at Syaoran, her eyes looking almost hopeful, wanting to hear his answer. 

Syaoran glared at his cousin and folded his arms. "I go where I wish," he replied. "And where my heart leads me to…" he added silently. 

Di Shang was about to comment when the school bell rang. Syaoran immediately stood up and hurried back to class. Sakura slipped the cards into her pocket as she and Di Shang walked back, both absorbed with their own thoughts. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Why _did_ you come back, Syaoran?" thought Sakura. "Is it because of your apparent rivalry with Di Shang or is there another reason…?" 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Are you such a coward, Syaoran?" thought Di Shang. "That you can't admit to your own feelings. I know exactly how you feel towards Sakura. I've known you for far too long." He frowned. "And seeing how your feelings directly interfere with mine, I wish you didn't feel that way at all."

~*~*~*~*~*~

As soon as classes were finished for the day, Di Shang went over to ask Sakura something. While packing his bag, Syaoran watched him out of the corner of his eye. After she questioned him, Di Shang said, "I have to give you something. Would you mind stopping by my place for a moment?" Sakura nodded her assent wordlessly. 

Walking to the apartment complex, Di Shang chatted freely with Sakura while Syaoran walked a few feet behind them. Sakura wondered what made Syaoran so inanimate and gestured for him to join them. Syaoran shook his head, refusing to, and they continued to walk on. Syaoran waited with Sakura outside Di Shang's home while he went to find something. Both of them suddenly seemed uneasy alone in each other's presence. Sakura decided she had to say something. 

"Syaoran…" she started to say, at the exact same moment as Syaoran said, "Sakura…" Both stopped, looked at each other, and blushed furiously. Syaoran began pulling out his courage and opened his mouth to speak again when Di Shang appeared at the doorway. He handed a box to Sakura. Sakura accepted it questioningly and Di Shang told her to open it. 

Opening the box, Sakura was astonished at what she saw. Picking up the material and shaking it out, she realized they were Chinese ceremonial robes, like the ones worn by Syaoran and Di Shang. Looking it over, she saw it was made of pink material, with a light thin yellow lining and dark pink cuffs. It even had matching shoes and hair ribbons. She noticed that the design of the robes were not unlike Meiling's. The major difference was that these robes did not have a ying-yang in the center like Meiling's did. "It's beautiful," she said. Sakura looked at Di Shang. "Are these for me?" she asked. 

Di Shang nodded. "Meiling and Syaoran's mother had heard about my new mission and they thought that if you and I were going to be working together, we should have matching outfits or something like that." Di Shang rolled his eyes at the thought. "I got it last night and was told to give it to you." 

Syaoran was surprised that his own mother and cousin had done this. It would explain why Sakura's robes looked so similar to Meiling's. It was probably modelled after hers. But Meiling had always used to dislike Sakura, didn't she? This must have to do with the letter he received from her last night. He hadn't had a chance to open it yet. Excusing himself quickly, Syaoran ran down the hallway to his apartment. 

Sakura looked after him, almost longingly. "Why don't you try it, Sakura?" asked Di Shang. "Let's see if it fits." Sakura nodded and Di Shang allowed her the use of his bathroom. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Syaoran went straight to his room and ripped open the letter. It wasn't very long, only about a page. Typical Meiling style, he thought fondly. He did indeed care for Meiling, but not in the way she wanted. She was more like a sister to him. 

__

Syaoran, it read. 

__

You're probably wondering why I'm writing to you. I would think Di Shang has given Sakura the clothes by now, but in case he hasn't, I'll tell you about it. Auntie and I had heard about Di Shang's new mission and we were rather surprised it wasn't given to you, so we never mentioned it in front of you. I'm sorry. We later heard that Di Shang was to go to Japan and pair up with Sakura to capture these cards. My thoughts instantly flew to three years ago and the Clow Cards and…To the point: Auntie knew you'd be going soon (she knows you too well, Syaoran) and thought it'd be nice if you and Sakura had the same type of robes. Just to note, she does know how you feel toward Sakura (how could she not? You are her son, after all). We styled it after my robes and sent it to Di Shang saying we made it so Sakura and him would have matching clothes. But you know the real reason. 

Syaoran, I'm telling you something that is for your own good. Tell Sakura, and tell her soon. If not, someone else might beat you to it. 

Your loving cousin,  
Meiling 

Syaoran folded up the letter quickly and stuck it in a drawer. Meiling was right. He was sorry he had hurt Meiling by telling her the truth about how he really felt towards her, that he didn't love her in they way she wanted, but he knew he had to. He was just glad that Meiling didn't bore a grudge against him…or Sakura. Syaoran walked outside and saw that Sakura had changed into her new clothes. It reminded him of the first time he saw her chasing after the Thunder Card. Her cat battle costume was pretty silly but she still looked beautiful in it. The costume had a perfect shade of pink that brought out the rich tints in her hair and caused her emerald eyes to sparkle brightly. 

Sakura's eyes was the first thing that captivated him, though he had ignored it then because she had been his rival for the capturing of the Clow Cards. Syaoran noticed that her new battle robes was made of the same pink shade. She looked breathtaking. 

After observing from afar, Syaoran rejoined Sakura and his cousin. Sakura's eyes seemed to light up when she saw him, much to Di Shang's dismay. Sakura twirled around once to show Syaoran her new costume. "What do you think of it, Syaoran?" she asked him. 

"It looks beautiful on you," he answered softly. Sakura blushed at his comment. The trio stood silently, no one able to speak a word. 

"Sakura!" 

All three Card Captors turned toward the source of the sound and they saw Yukito running up the stairs towards them. He stopped in front of them and held out a paper bag. "Want a bun?" he asked, munching on his own. Di Shang and Syaoran both sweatdropped and muttered no thanks. After refusing, Sakura spoke. 

"Why are you here, Yukito?" she asked. 

Yukito popped the rest of the bun into his mouth and after swallowing it, he replied, "I was looking for you. Touya was getting worried about you and why you haven't returned home yet." 

Sakura smacked her hand lightly on her forehead. "I forgot!" she exclaimed. "Touya must be really angry with me now." She gathered up her school bag, and with Yukito behind her, she hurried down the stairs, but not without saying good-bye to Syaoran and Di Shang, of course. Soon, Sakura and Yukito were out of sight. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Sakura ran inside when she reached home, panting heavily. She turned and saw Touya sitting in the living room, his arms folded, an angry look in his eyes. Touya watched his little sister as she walked in. Her hair was dishevelled and her cheeks were red from running. She was also wearing a weird pink costume. Wondering why Touya was eyeing her strangely, Sakura looked down and realized she hadn't changes out of her battle costume. 

Touya stood up and walked over to his sister and his best friend. Yukito just walked in and offered him a bun from his bag. Touya declined and looked at his sibling. Sakura was facing the ground, avoiding her brother's eyes. "You were with that brat, weren't you?" he asked after a moment of silence. 

Sakura looked up, her temper flared for a moment. "Syaoran's not a brat, Touya!" 

"Syaoran?" Touya said with surprise. He had meant Di Shang. She was getting defensive about the kid again. "So the brat's back after all," he thought. "I knew it was too good to last." Sakura turned bright pink when she realized that Touya meant Di Shang and not Syaoran. She remembered how much he fought with Syaoran three years ago. 

Finally, after another moment of silence, Yukito, thinking he should break the ice, said, "Is there anything to eat?" Touya and Sakura looked at Yukito and sweatdropped, the latter still smiling. 

"We'll be eating dinner in a few minutes, Yukito," he told his best friend. "I have the textbook I was going to show you. Come up to my room for a minute." Yukito nodded. Touya turned to Sakura and said, "Dad's in the kitchen. He wants to talk to you." He went up the stairs to his room, with Yukito behind him. Sakura walked into the kitchen and saw her father cooking dinner. Fujitaka turned around and greeted his daughter with a smile. 

"Sakura," he said. "You came home just in time for dinner." He viewed Sakura's profile. "That outfit looks nice. Where did you get it?" Sakura looked down and made another mental note that she had to change out of the battle costume soon. "Sakura?" 

"Oh!" exclaimed Sakura. "Sorry, dad. Syaoran's mother sent it to me as a gift," she said. "You remember her, right, dad? From our trip to Hong Kong three years ago?" 

Fujitaka nodded. "Well," he said. "That was very nice of her. You better go change now. It's time to eat dinner." Sakura acknowledged and ran up the stairs. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Upon entering her room, Sakura found her little guardian playing video games again. Kero froze when the door opened and dropped lifeless to the ground. But after seeing Sakura, he flew up, re-animated again. 

"Where've you been?" he demanded. Seeing the battle costume, he commented, "You got that from the Li-brat, right?" 

Dropping her bag on her chair, Sakura said in a quiet scolding tone, "Kero, I told you not to call him a brat." She held up her arms as Kero flew around her and examined the robes. 

Kero flew to Sakura's bed and sat down. "It looks very familiar," he said, thinking back. "Hey!" he exclaimed finally. "It looks like Meiling's!" 

Sakura nodded in response. "I think they made it after hers or something," she said. 

"They?" 

"Meiling and Syaoran's mother," replied Sakura. Kero was about to answer when the doorknob turned. He immediately froze into a doll position on the bed. The door opened, revealing Touya. 

"Come on, Sakura," he said. "Time to eat." He stared at the doll lying on his sister's bed. A big sweatdrop appeared on the back of Kero's head that Touya couldn't seen. Sakura saw it and quickly moved to the door, pushing it shut. 

"I'll be down soon," she said. "I just have to change first." 

"Better hurry up," came Touya's voice behind the door. "Or we'll finish everything without you." Touya's footsteps could be heard descending the stairs. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Sakura presently came downstairs and found her father, Touya, and Yukito, assembled around the dining table. She took her seat next to her father. After a few minutes of conversation or small talk, Fujitaka said, "I have some important news." All eyes turned to him expectantly. "I'll be leaving tonight. I am being sent on a last-minute trip to New York." He looked around at the faces around him. Sakura seemed crestfallen that he was going so soon. 

"When will you be back, dad?" asked Touya. 

"Not for a long time," answered Fujitaka. "In a few months, I suppose. I'll try to come back before Christmas, but I can't make any promises." 

Sakura turned to face her father and gave him a big hug. "We'll all miss you a lot," she said. Fujitaka nodded and smiled. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Sakura stood by the window, staring out into the city. Touya was driving their father to the airport at this very moment and Yukito had already left and went home. Being the only ones left in the house, Sakura had allowed Kero to get something to eat downstairs. Leaning against the windowsill, she closed her eyes and reached out with her powers, attempting to sense another card's presence. Kero flew back into her room and watched her silently. After several minutes, Sakura opened her eyes. 

"Why can't I sense it, Kero?" she asked her guardian. 

"Don't worry, Sakura," said Kero. "It's not you. Your powers, though weakened slightly by last night's battle, are perfectly fine. It just means that whoever is controlling these Jiao Cards has decided not to release a card tonight." He sighed. "If you ask me, that's a good thing." 

"Maybe you're right, Kero…" said Sakura. "But why hasn't the user released a new card? Are they holding back for some reason? What are they waiting for…?"

Author's Note: *Sighs* Not the most interesting chapter…though we do learn a bit about the background of the new cards. What do you think of the name "Jiao"? My friend (aka Mariah's Lamby) thought of it for me. She also came up with the name "Di Shang". I'll post the third chapter later. It's been finished for quite some time. Now I need to work on the fourth chapter. Argh! I have writer's block! *sweatdrops* ^_^

*Sakura

~The Animé Archives Team

   [1]: mailto:taateam@hotmail.com?subject=New Cards Fan Fic



	3. The Appearance of Kam Un

****

The New Cards 

The Appearance of Kam Un: Chapter Three

By: [Sakura][1]

"Aah!" 

Flying swiftly through the air, a transformed Kero caught the Card Mistress by the collar of her battle costume with his teeth. Sakura pulled herself up and sat on Cerberus' back. 

"Thanks, Kero," she said. "That was a close one." Cerberus landed on the ground and Sakura slid off his back. Di Shang's face showed his obvious concern. 

"Are you okay, Sakura?" he asked her. 

Sakura nodded. "I'll be fine," she said. Tightening her hold on her wand, she added, "But that card won't be." 

The three Card Captors and Kero had been fighting the Combat Card for more than an hour already. What had started off as a walk in the park for Sakura and Kero turned into a fierce battle with The Combat. The Combat had appeared out of thin air and attacked Sakura. Syaoran and Di Shang, sensing the card, went to assist her immediately. Sakura had released the Fight Card and tried using it against The Combat, but The Combat was much stronger and defeated The Fight with a single blow. The card turned on Sakura afterward and knocked her down, then grabbing Sakura by the leg, it used her to practice its throws. Kero transformed just in time to catch her before she was seriously injured. 

"Try the Power Card, Sakura," said Syaoran. "It worked against the Fight Card before." Di Shang nodded his agreement. 

Pulling the Power Card out of her pocket, Sakura called upon the card to transfer its energy to her wand. Swinging the wand at the card's visible form, the card was hit, crashing to the ground. The Power changed back to its card form. The Combat lay unmoving in front of Sakura. 

Holding her wand in front of her, directly over The Combat, Sakura cried, "Combat Card! Return to your power confined!" Slowly, The Combat transformed into a card. But during the transfer, Sakura could feel her energy leaving her and she was weakening again. "No…" she thought. "I…have to…seal it. I…can't depend…on other people. I can do this!" Tightening her grip on the wand, more of her energy transferred to the card and it was sealed. The Combat Card lay at her feet. 

Sakura dropped to the ground with a sigh. Picking up The Combat, it changed from a Jiao Card to a Sakura Card. She turned to face the other Card Captors and her guardian, a big happy smile lit up her face. "I did it! I sealed my first card!" 

Kero was back to being his small self. "That was great, Sakura," he said, smiling. "If you keep that up, we'll have all the Jiao Cards in no time." 

"Don't bet on it." 

Kero automatically looked at Syaoran angrily, but he wasn't the one who had spoken. Sakura looked around them. Who could have said that? 

"Well, Card Mistress," came the unknown voice again. "You may have changed some of my cards, but don't think for a moment you're winning this little game. You're far from being finished." 

Di Shang produced his own lasin board from underneath his robes. Closing his eyes, he centralized his power to pinpoint the source of the voice. He had a feeling that this was the user of the Jiao Cards. His eyes flew open. The user was directly beside Sakura, but he couldn't see him! "Sakura, get out of the way!" he cried. 

Sakura looked at Di Shang, perplexed. Suddenly, sensing a movement beside her, she somersaulted to her left. An energy blast landed directly on the spot she had been in just a few seconds earlier. Sakura breathed a sigh of relief, but it was short lived. Coming from behind her, the invisible person grabbed her and dragged her through the bushes, out of sight of the others. 

"Sakura!" cried Syaoran, Di Shang, and Kero at once. 

Sakura was held in a stranglehold. Someone she couldn't see was using his arm to apply pressure to her throat. She tried to pry the arm off, but to no avail. She didn't have enough strength. She had used most of her energy to seal The Combat and hadn't much left after that. 

Syaoran wasn't letting this person get away with hurting Sakura, invisible or not. He crept behind the bushes and saw Sakura. Her hands were grasping at something around her throat and it seemed like she was floating on air, but Syaoran knew that someone was lifting her off the ground. Unsheathing his sword, he slashed down upon Sakura's hands…Or, so it seemed. In actuality, the sword didn't touch Sakura at all, but it did cut the arm of the Jiao Card user. The user yelped in pain and released Sakura. She dropped to the ground. Syaoran immediately pulled Sakura out of the user's reach and Sakura was gasping for breath. 

Suddenly, directly under a Sakura tree, the invisibility dropped. A pair of midnight blue eyes glared angrily at Syaoran. Kero and Di Shang rejoined the pair, facing the user. 

"The Jiao Card user is just a kid?" exclaimed Kero with surprise. 

Di Shang shrugged. "I had no idea." 

Sakura studied the other boy. He looked to be about fourteen or fifteen, with shoulder length black hair and piercing blue eyes. He also wore Chinese ceremonial robes quite similar to Eriol's. He was clutching his right arm, the one wounded by Syaoran's sword. Blood slowly flowed from the cut, drenching his long black sleeve. He watched them silently, not making a move. 

Syaoran took a step forward with his sword in hand, the tip still covered with blood. "Who are you?" he demanded. "Why are you here?" 

The boy raised an eyebrow at Syaoran's tone. "My name's Kam Un." He paused for a moment, his lips curving into a smirk. "But you can call me the destroyer." He reached up and plucked a few cherry blossoms from the Sakura tree. Looking back at the Card Captors, he crushed the delicate flowers in his palm, smiling. "And," he added. "I'm going to start with the Cherry Blossom." Kam Un rapidly advanced toward Sakura. Syaoran, Di Shang, and Kero were all in front of her in an instant. Suddenly, Kam Un disappeared from view. Di Shang turned around swiftly, having been able to track Kam Un's movements, and spotted him standing on a rooftop, more than twenty feet away. Kam Un smiled darkly and released the crushed blossoms. Once again, he disappeared into the night. 

The wind carried the flowers and they landed at Syaoran's feet. The flowers were soaked with blood from Kam Un's wound. Syaoran's gaze was fixed in the direction taken by Kam Un. Di Shang helped Sakura stand up and she murmured her thanks, but she didn't look at him. Instead, her eyes were on the bloodstained petals of the Sakura flower. Di Shang could see the fear in her eyes. 

Syaoran turned around and faced Sakura and Di Shang. "Come on," he said gruffly. "Let's make sure Sakura gets home safely." Sakura shook her head in protest. 

"Don't worry about me," she said. "I'll be fine. Besides, I have Kero to protect me." 

"No. I insist we take you home." There was something in Syaoran's eyes that made Sakura consent. It was as if he was afraid of something… 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Outside the gate, Syaoran and Di Shang watched Sakura climb through the window in her room. She waved goodbye to them. Di Shang waved back in response but Syaoran just turned around and walked away. 

Di Shang caught up to his cousin and said, with false innocence, "What's wrong with you? It's like you're worried about the Card Mistress or something." 

"It's none of your business," muttered Syaoran in reply. The truth was, Syaoran was deeply troubled. He couldn't get the image of the blood-soaked cherry blossoms out of his mind. What if it was to really happen to Sakura…? 

~*~*~*~*~*~

The tip of a sword gleamed in the dim light. Suddenly, it slashed down on Syaoran, slicing the sleeve of his robes, nearly cutting his arm. Syaoran jumped back just in time. 

As Syaoran backed away, a fist flew out and knocked him down. His sword flew out of his grasp and across the room. Syaoran's eyes focused on the figure looming over him, a broad sword in the figure's hand aimed to kill. His attacker's foot dug into his chest and Syaoran couldn't move. The blade came down swiftly, ready to strike him. 

Suddenly, another blade appeared. It was a long, slender sword and it deflected the attacker's blade away from Syaoran almost expertly. It was Sakura who held the slender sword. 

"Stop it, Di Shang!" she cried. "Don't hurt Syaoran!" 

"Di Shang?" thought Syaoran with confusion. The figure no longer threatened Syaoran and was now facing Sakura. With the foot removed from his chest, Syaoran was able to sit up. He stared hard at his cousin. Di Shang's hair partially covered his face, making it hard to see his expression. Di Shang then turned to look at Syaoran and Syaoran could see his eyes…they were dull and blank… 

"Syaoran…" said Di Shang, with a calm deadly tone, roughly pushing his cousin again to the ground… 

Syaoran groggily lifted his head up. Di Shang was shaking him, trying to wake his cousin up. Syaoran looked up, saw Di Shang, and leapt back. Di Shang was puzzled at this sudden action. Looking about him, Syaoran realized he was in his own bedroom and that the previous scene had just been a dream. He muttered something Di Shang couldn't hear and stood up. Then, scowling, he said, "What do you want?" 

"You're cranky when you wake up," commented Di Shang. He pointed out the window. Syaoran followed his gaze and looked out. The sun had already risen. "I never thought you were one to sleep in on a Saturday morning," he added. Di Shang turned and left the room. 

Syaoran watched his cousin leave, his eyes unreadable. What was the meaning of this new dream? It didn't make sense to him, Di Shang wasn't his enemy…right? 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Sakura had had a very tiring night, not being able to sleep well. When the sun was rising that morning, she finally settled down and went to sleep. 

Leaving his room, Touya was about to head downstairs when he noticed Sakura was still asleep. Glancing at his watch displaying 11:32 am, he thought it was about time he woke his sister up. He knocked on her door. No answer. He knocked again. Still no answer. Opening the door just a crack, Touya saw his little sister still lying in bed, her sheets rumpled around her. He heard a slight thud on the ground and turned to see a little stuffed animal with wings lying on the ground. Maybe it was his imagination but Touya could have sworn he saw it twitch. Ignoring it, he knelt by Sakura's bed, placed a hand on her shoulder, and shook her slightly. "Wake up," he said. 

Sakura slowly opened her eyes. "Touya?" she asked, with some confusion. 

Nodding, Touya said, "Come on, you've been asleep for most of the morning. Time to get up." He walked toward the door, and added, "I'm going out now. There's a fall carnival near your school today. I'll meet you there at eight and we'll have dinner together, okay?" Sakura nodded and Touya left her room, closing the door after him. His steps could be heard descending the staircase. 

Kero instantly flew up with a shout. "A fall carnival? All right! I'm there! There's going to be popcorn and cotton candy and hot dogs and…" A pillow landed on him, knocking him to the ground. Kero flew out from under the pillow. "Hey, what's the big idea?" 

"You're not going, Kero," answered Sakura. 

"Why not?" cried Kero. "Please?" 

Sakura shook her head. "Something doesn't feel right and I'm going to go figure this out…" 

"But you need me!" cut in Kero. 

"…alone!" she said, tacking in the last word firmly. "I'll bring you back something nice." 

Kero folded his arms grouchily. "It better be edible," he muttered. 

Sakura's expression softened. "I'm sorry, Kero," she said. "It's just…I want to see if I'm capable enough to do this on my own. What if you weren't there for me?" 

"But I'll always be!" Kero cut in again. 

"But what if you couldn't?" She sighed inwardly. "What would I do then? I can't always depend on you, Kero. I know you'll try to be there for me as much as you can, but sometimes…you may not be able to…" 

Kero raised an eyebrow. "What are you trying to say, Sakura?" 

Getting up, Sakura patted her guardian lightly on the head. "Don't worry about me, Kero," she said. "I'll be fine." 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Standing at the window, Kero watched Sakura walk down the street. To him, Sakura seemed to be really worried about something. But what could it be? Why wouldn't she tell him? 

When Sakura was out of sight, Kero flew to her desk and sat down. "This must have to do with her dream," he said to himself. 

~*Flashback*~

Sakura had been tossing and turning fitfully in her bed for the whole night. It was enough to wake Kero from his sleep. He flew over to his mistress' side and tried to wake her up, but she didn't hear him. Instead, she was murmuring something in her sleep. 

"Stop it, Di Shang…Don't hurt Syaoran…" 

~*End Flashback*~

"Now why would Di Shang try to hurt Syaoran?" Kero said aloud, to an empty room. "They may be rivals, but they're still cousins. Why would one want to hurt the other?" He held his head in his hand. "This is giving me a headache." 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Sakura was walking aimlessly around town, trying to sense the Jiao Cards. She was dismayed to find none. Hearing laughter, she realized she was near the carnival. She supposed it wouldn't hurt to check it out… 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Hmm…" thought Kam Un. "So, the Card Mistress is looking for Jiao Cards, huh?" Pulling a card out of his stack, Kam Un smiled. "Well, I guess I shouldn't disappoint her." Tossing the card in front of him and his staff in hand, he cried out, "Slumber Card! Release!" A sleepy-looking figure appeared before him. "Go on, Slumber," he said. "Stay hidden near the carnival until eight o'clock tonight. Then, use your sleep on everyone, including the Card Mistress." The figure disappeared. "Well," thought the user. "Using two cards wouldn't hurt, either." Shuffling the remaining Jiao Cards, Kam Un placed them on the table. He turned over the top card. It read "The Deceive". Using his staff again, he called upon the card. "Deceive Card! Throw a mist over the Card Mistress' eyes to cloud her vision on my identity!" The Deceive's visible form disappeared as well. Kam Un smiled. "This should prove to be most interesting." 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"The carnival is pretty packed," thought Sakura. "I'm glad there isn't a Jiao Card now. Otherwise, all these people could get hurt." She looked around her. Though it was almost seven, the sun had already set and the rides and booths in the carnival were lighting up. Not watching where she was going, Sakura accidentally bumped into someone. Turning, she came face-to-face with the person she bumped into. He was about fourteen, with short midnight blue hair and cool charcoal-grey eyes. She recognized him as a new student from her class. 

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "I'm not usually one to bump into people." The other boy smiled warmly. 

"Don't worry about it," he said. He looked at her thoughtfully. "I've seen you before. Aren't you in my class? Kinomoto Sakura, right?" 

Sakura nodded. "That's right. You are…" 

"Chen Chi Yuen," he finished. "Are you here all by yourself?" asked Chi Yuen. Sakura nodded again. "I am, too. How about joining me? Some company would be nice." Sakura glanced at her watch. She had more than an hour left before she had to go meet Touya. Sakura smiled. 

"Sure!" she answered. "That'd be great!" 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Hyah! Yah! Hah!" 

Though it was a Saturday, Syaoran and Di Shang had other things to do besides homework. They were both practising techniques with their broad swords in the park beside their apartments. Di Shang was astonished with the ferocity of Syaoran's attack, ignorant of the dream Syaoran had had. Syaoran simply didn't want a time to come when Di Shang could beat him, almost to a fact that he could kill him. Besides, he couldn't forget his dream. What was it trying to tell him? 

With one final sweep, Syaoran caught his cousin off guard and hit the back of his hand, forcing Di Shang's sword to fall out of reach. He dropped his own sword as well, with a clatter, sweat running down the side of his face. He sat down, wiping his face with a towel. Di Shang rubbed the back of his hand, still red from the blow. He bent down and picked up his sword, Syaoran's as well. He walked over to his cousin, dropping his sword in front of him. They both slid their swords back into the case. 

"You're pretty tough to beat today, Syaoran," said Di Shang. "Why the sudden relentless attacks?" 

Syaoran scowled inwardly. "I just don't want you to get ahead of me." Syaoran got up and headed back home. Di Shang raised an eyebrow, signifying that he didn't fully believe Syaoran. He was about to speak when something flashed in his mind. Syaoran turned around and looked at him. Obviously, he had also sensed it. "A Jiao Card!" they both said. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Sakura's laugh tingled like a bell, sweetly and merrily. She was having a fun time with Chi Yuen. They had tried almost every ride at the carnival, skipping the ones with lines far too long. She never got to know him much in school, for Chi Yuen was always so quiet and reserved, almost always hiding in the shadows. Sakura was glad she had this time to talk to him. And he could really make her laugh. 

Chi Yuen was also having a good time. He was generally alone and by himself most of the time and he enjoyed the company. Sakura was an ideal companion; always ready to try new things and to do just about anything. Except the haunted house, though. She seemed to be really frightened about ghosts and the idea of them. When he finally persuaded her to go, she pretty much hung tight to him every time something ghastly appeared. But they did have a good laugh in the hall of mirrors. He liked Sakura's laugh. It reminded him of his mother's… 

Glancing at her watch, Sakura exclaimed, "It's almost eight!" 

His eyes darting around, Chi Yuen asked nonchalantly, "What's so important about eight o'clock?" 

"I have to meet my brother for dinner." She turned to him, and added, "Do you want to come? I'm sure Touya won't mind." 

Chi Yuen nodded. "Sure." 

Sakura scanned the crowd for her brother. "Sakura, over here!" She turned and saw her brother. 

"Touya!" she cried, waving in response. Touya walked to where his sibling and some other boy was standing. Yukito was with him. Touya stared critically at the younger boy, but Chi Yuen didn't flinch a bit under his gaze. He turned to his sibling. 

"Who's this?" he asked her. 

Sakura looked at Chi Yuen with an apology in her eyes before answering. "This is Chi Yuen. I know him from school." Touya raised an eyebrow. "You don't mind if he joins us, do you?" Touya looked again at the calm boy and after a few moments, finally gave his consent. Sakura smiled. 

"You know," piped up Yukito. "I know a really great place to eat-" Screams could be heard in the distant, interrupting Yukito. They all swivelled around to see what caused it. They saw what looked like a mist, descend upon them. Soon, everyone standing dropped to the ground. Sakura looked around with panic when Touya fell, too. Yukito immediately bent down to check on him. He looked at Sakura, relief in his eyes. "He's okay. He's just asleep." They heard a thud beside them. Turning, they saw Chi Yuen fall to the ground as well. "Don't breathe in the mist, Sakura!" cried Yukito, realizing what it was. It was too late. Sakura had already caught a whiff of it and she dropped to her knees. Her eyelids suddenly felt very heavy and she had the greatest urge to go to sleep. 

With wings sprouting, Yukito transformed to Yue. He picked up his mistress and swiftly flew to the forest, the only area close enough that was out of range of the mist. He gently set her down by the trunk of a tree. "Come on, Card Mistress," he said. "Don't go to sleep. You can't." Sakura murmured something incoherently, but she still wasn't any closer to waking up. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Something tells me we're too late," muttered Syaoran. Both Syaoran and Di Shang had arrived at the carnival, but the mist has already disappeared. Many people were affected by The Slumber and they all lay sleeping on the ground. Di Shang recognized one of those people to be Touya, Sakura's older brother. 

"I don't sense Sakura here," said Di Shang, turning to Syaoran. "She _was_ here, but not now." He took out his lasin board. The beam directed them to the forest on the side of the carnival site. They both quickly ran toward there. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"…no…I…won't…let…you……hurt…him…" 

Yue shook Sakura gently. "It's only a dream," he said. "Wake up." All his efforts were in vain. Sakura could not wake up. Hearing laughter behind him, Yue looked up above him. Standing atop the branches of the tree was Kam Un, his arms folded, a smirk on his face. 

"Yue, your attempts are futile," he said with a sneer. "That will never wake her up." 

Standing up, still holding Sakura in his arms, Yue glared at Kam Un coldly. "And I suppose you know how?" 

Kam Un laughed. "Of course, I know," he said. "Seal the card, release the effect. As simple as that. But," he added, with a smile. "You won't be able to seal it." Holding his staff up high, he commanded, "Slumber Card! Release your mist upon the Card Guardian!" The Slumber appeared and flew overhead; it's robes shaking out the deadly sleep mist. Yue tried to shield himself from it, but to no avail. The Slumber whirled around him, suffocating Yue with its mist. Yue fell, his eyes closed. 

Jumping off the branch, Kam Un landed neatly on the ground. He roughly kicked Yue aside, who still protected his Mistress in his arms, even affected by the Slumber Card. As Kam Un moved to pick up Sakura, he was thrown off balance and hit the ground. He sat up angrily, only to be pinned down by two strong paws. It was Cerberus. 

Syaoran and Di Shang joined Cerberus. Cerberus was digging his claws into Kam Un's shoulders, a low growl in his throat. Though he was being threatened by one of the Card Guardians. Kam Un didn't seem to be the least bit worried. Syaoran knelt down by Yue and checked both him and Sakura, relieved that they were still breathing. He turned to tell Di Shang but didn't interrupt his cousin, seeing that Di Shang had unsheathed his sword and was pointing it at Kam Un's head. 

"You better free all those people that have fallen victim to your sleep spell," he said. 

Kam Un laughed. "Why don't you do it yourself?" He smiled. "On second thought," he said. "You won't be able to. Slumber!" The Slumber reappeared again. It wrapped its robes around Cerberus and Di Shang, pulling them both away from Kam Un, and the mist from the robes forcing the two into a deep sleep. It finally released them from its grip. Kam Un turned around and looked eye-to-eye with Syaoran. Syaoran realized that he was the only one left unaffected. He gathered Sakura in his arms as The Slumber advanced toward him with its robes of mist, and ran toward the school. Syaoran had no idea how he was going to get them all out of this jam. The only thing he could do was to try to keep Sakura safe. 

The Slumber was right at his heels. "Think, Syaoran, think," he ordered himself. Quickly, he flipped around, a charm in his hand. With his sword unsheathed, he cried, "Element: Water!" The water swirled around The Slumber, trapping it under its liquidy texture. Silence followed as the water drained away, revealing nothing. Syaoran stood still looking about him, Sakura still asleep in his arms. Did he succeed in destroying The Slumber? 

Kam Un's laughter could be heard behind him. 

Author's Note: I'm really sorry. There is still more to this part with "The Slumber", but the chapter got to be a little too long. So I had to cut it. *sighs* I'm working on the next part already. You should see me. I carry a large pad of paper and a pen with me almost 24/7. Whenever I have an idea, I jot it down. Whenever I have time, I continue writing this fic. So far the fourth chapter is nearly 25% complete. Sorry about the wait.

*Sakura  
~The Animé Archives Team

   [1]: mailto:taateam@hotmail.com?subject=New Cards Fan Fic



	4. Balance Act

****

The New Cards 

Balance Act: Chapter Four

By: [Sakura][1]

"You think _that_ will stop The Slumber?" asked Kam Un with a sneer. "Think again." The Slumber once more appeared and floated by the Jiao user's side. 

Syaoran panted wearily. He had no clue what to do. He didn't have enough power so how would he be able to defeat that card? 

Kam Un turned to leave, then paused for a moment. "Oh, and one more thing," He smirked as Syaoran glared at him. "Once a person with magical powers or properties is affected by the Slumber Card's sleep mist, they only have two hours left. In other words, say goodbye to the Cherry Blossom." Kam Un disappeared from view but The Slumber remained. 

"How does he do that?" muttered Syaoran to himself. He put Sakura down gently against the trunk of a tree. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he shook her, hard. "Come on, Sakura," he said. "You heard him! If you don't wake up, you're going to die! Come on!" 

"I can't…" murmured Sakura. Syaoran's eyes narrowed. 

"You have to!" he cried. "You're the only one that can seal the card! If you don't seal it, you won't be the only one that goes! Yukito and Di Shang will, too!" He stopped shaking her, but the thoughts in his mind simply pressed down further. Syaoran was becoming extremely worried. He couldn't let Sakura die. 

"…Syaoran…you…have to…seal…the card…" 

"No! Sakura!" His shoulders dropped. "I can't…" 

"You can……Di Shang…did…" Once again, she drifted off into sleep. 

Syaoran sat up. She was right. Di Shang _did_ seal a card. The Gust Card, to be exact. If his cousin was able to do it, than he should be able to do it, too! He turned around and looked at The Slumber, still transfixed in the same spot. Di Shang used his sword…somehow. But what did he do exactly? 

He suddenly came up with an idea. Drawing his sword and charm again, Syaoran cried, "Element: Wind!" The Wind flew out and pulled the Slumber Card down, deftly pinning it to the ground. He walked to The Slumber and thought back to the first night he returned. 

~*Flashback*~

Di Shang quickly moved to the fallen Card's side after Sakura had fainted. With his sword held in his two hands, he made a downward thrust, stopping just an inch away from The Gust. "Seal!" he yelled. Slowly, The Gust de-configured and changed into its card form. The card landed at Di Shang's feet as he slipped his sword back into its case. 

~*End Flashback*~

Copying Di Shang's movement, Syaoran held his sword with both hands and thrust it downward, stopping an inch away from The Slumber. "Slumber Card, seal!" The Slumber gradually changed to the shape of a card at the tip of Syaoran's sword. A burning sensation formed in his chest. He nearly dropped his sword. One hand still held the sword, though unsteadily, while his left hand dropped and clutched his chest. Beads of sweat rolled down his face. 

"This is what it feels like," Syaoran thought hazily. "This is what it's like to seal a card. There's so much pain…" His gaze shifted to Sakura, lying against the tree trunk, fast asleep. If he took any longer, she would die. And so would everyone else. He had to do this. He had to save Sakura. No matter how much it hurt. Pouring more of his energy into it, Syaoran ignored the flaming pain in his chest and his hand moved back to its former grip on the sword handle. Finally, the Slumber Card was sealed. 

Syaoran dropped to the ground, his sword lying by his side. The pain in his chest subsided and he wiped the sweat from his brow with his sleeve. Not even looking at the first card he had ever sealed, Syaoran got to his feet and walked over to Sakura's sleeping form, crouching next to her. After watching her for a few seconds, he reached out with his hand and gently caressed her cheek. "So this is what you have to go through every time you seal a card?" he whispered softly. Syaoran closed his eyes. "I wish I could take that kind of pain away from you. For me to be the one on the receiving end, instead of you." He took her hand in his and held it tight. "But you're so strong…" Changing the direction of his thoughts, Syaoran wondered briefly how long it'd be before Sakura and the others awoke. 

Sakura had been drifting between consciousness and sleep. That is, until she felt a cool hand lightly stroke her cheek. It felt so relaxing, so soothing, so…right. She made an effort to open her eyelids, but could only move them a small slit. Was she dreaming or was that Syaoran in front of her? 

As soon as Syaoran saw Sakura stir, he moved away quickly and turned around, trying to hide his curiously red cheeks. Sakura finally succeeded in opening her eyelids, the Slumber Card's spell wiped completely from her eyes. Looking around, she found herself propped against the trunk of a tree. Shifting her gaze forward, she saw Syaoran with his back to her. He bent down and picked something off the ground. 

"Syaoran?" called Sakura. 

Syaoran slowly turned around and faced her. Time seemed to slow down as they both gazed into each other's eyes. Snapping out of it, Syaoran held out the Slumber Card to her. Sakura looked at the card, then back at him. 

"You sealed your first card," she said softly, a smile lighting up her face. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Touya sat up from the ground and rubbed his head. Looking about him, he saw that the kid Sakura had brought along was lying on the ground, evidently asleep. After a few moments, Chi Yuen opened his eyelids and got up, staring wonderingly around him. He turned around and saw Touya. "Where am I?" he asked. 

"Still at the carnival," answered Touya grimly. All around them, people were waking and getting up, but Sakura and Yukito were nowhere to be found. "Come on," said Touya, pulling Chi Yuen to his feet. "Let's go find the others." 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Di Shang awoke, confused by his surroundings. He saw little Kero to his right, apparently in his doll state, for to their left, Touya was trying to awaken Yukito. Yukito finally responded and woke up, straightening his glasses. "Hi, Touya," he said, seeing his friend. "What happened here?"

Touya smiled briefly. "You were just asleep," he replied. "Are you okay?" Yukito nodded. 

Yukito looked at his surroundings. "Where's Sakura?" he asked. "I thought she was here with me." 

Touya's face changed to one of concern. "I don't know-" 

"I do." 

Everyone turned toward Di Shang questioningly. "Syaoran's not here either," he said. "So he must be with her. I'm able to sense my cousin's whereabouts, so…" Di Shang trailed off, not mentioning that he could also sense Sakura's aura as well. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Syaoran knelt down by Sakura's side and handed her the card. Sakura accepted the card gratefully and changed it to a Sakura Card. Putting the card in her pocket, Sakura looked up and noticed Syaoran watching her intently. He had a soft - almost sweet - expression on his face. Sakura rashly threw her arms around Syaoran in a hug. Syaoran, surprised, but not in an unpleasant manner, encircled his arms around her and held her close. "Thank you, Syaoran," said Sakura. "For saving all of us." Syaoran nodded silently, though he felt it should be him thanking her instead of the other way around. Neither parted for several minutes. Sakura wanted the moment to last forever. 

"Sakura?" spoke Syaoran softly, after a time. He was thinking that it was about time he told her how he truly felt towards her, because he never knew when he might lose her… 

"Yes, Syaoran?" 

He pulled back a bit to look at her. The expression that graced her face was alluring and understanding. 

"I…uh…I…" 

"There you are, Sakura!" 

Syaoran and Sakura instantly broke apart from each other when they heard the voice, blushing furiously. Touya and Di Shang were the first to reach the pair and the blush didn't escape either of their watchful eyes. Touya helped his sister stand up. "How do you feel?" he asked worriedly. He cast a glare at Syaoran, who was brushing himself off. 

Sakura granted Touya a small smile. "I'm just fine," she replied. "Don't worry about me." Sakura turned and saw Yukito behind her brother. She ran to him and gave him a big hug. "Yukito!" she cried. "You're okay!" Yukito nodded with a smile. 

Touya was still eyeing Syaoran wearily. He had seen Syaoran with his arms around Sakura and he wasn't the least bit pleased that the kid was trying to get close to his sister again. Was he going to hurt her like he did before, when he left for Hong Kong? Touya hoped not, for Sakura's sake. He didn't want to see his sibling get hurt again in that manner. 

Suddenly leaning against a tree for support, Yukito held his head in his hand. Sakura saw this and expressed her concern. "I feel a little dizzy," answered Yukito. "Otherwise, I'm fine." Touya offered to accompany Yukito home, which Yukito accepted. When Touya tried to take Sakura with him as well, Sakura protested and assured him that she would be able to get home by herself and for him to take care of Yukito. After giving a final warning look at the whole group, Touya left, supporting Yukito on the way. 

Chi Yuen pushed his blue bangs away from his eyes. He had been silent the whole time, unfamiliar with anyone besides Sakura. "I'll have to take a raincheck on that dinner," he said to Sakura. "I don't feel too well, myself." Sakura nodded sympathetically. Chi Yuen waved goodbye and left the group. Kero flew out from behind Di Shang's back, having hidden there while Touya and Chi Yuen were present. 

"Finally!" he cried. "I hate having to hide all the time. What am I? A stuffed animal?" Syaoran nodded in response with a smirk. Kero glared at Syaoran. Ignoring the guardian, Syaoran turned to Sakura. 

"Be careful with that card," he warned her. "Don't forget that The Slumber's sleep mist is very lethal to anyone with magical powers. Someone could die if left unattended to long." Sakura nodded. "Let's just pray there aren't any other Jiao Cards as dangerous as that one," he added. 

"I hope so," replied Sakura quietly. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Sakura, wait up!" 

Sakura turned around and waited for her friend to catch up to her. "Morning, Rika," she greeted. 

"Morning!" Rika tugged Sakura's sleeve, her eyes glazed over with excitement. "Have you heard?" she said. "We're going to be going to the circus for the field trip tomorrow!" 

Coming from behind them, Chiharu and Naoko almost pounced on Rika. "Really?" asked Naoko. "Where'd you hear this?" 

"Mr. Terada mentioned it to us just earlier," answered Rika. "I can't wait to go. Who'd ever thought a circus would perform in Tomoeda? This is going to be great!" 

"A circus?" thought Sakura to herself. "That's definitely something new. Let's hope nothing out of the ordinary happens while we're there." 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Everyone applauded wildly as the final act came to an end. The lights dimmed down and the people sitting in the audience began chatting about the events that happened. 

"That was the best show I've ever seen!" whispered Naoko to Chiharu. "What with the tigers and the lions." She sighed. "I wish I could train them that well. For that matter, perform with them! It would be so much fun!" 

Picking up her bag, Sakura got up to leave, and so did her friends, when all of a sudden, a spotlight appeared in the center of the ring. Elsewhere, the lights on the side had been turned off. Everyone turned toward the only source of light. In the spotlight stood a lone figure. His shoulder length black hair was pulled back in a low ponytail and in his right hand held a staff. Wearing his Chinese robes, he stood tall, almost condescendingly, and his keen blue eyes were watching one person, and that one person alone. Sakura. All around, murmurs were heard when they saw the newcomer. They all contemplated it was a new act added at the last minute. Syaoran and Di Shang were both watching the figure closely. 

Chi Yuen turned to Sakura. "I wonder who that guy is," he said. 

"I don't know," answered Sakura, though she knew exactly who it was. Why was Kam Un here, of all places? Looking around her, the audience was filled with spectators. She would not be able to use her magic. And besides, if there was a battle, all these people could get hurt. She didn't want that to happen. Sakura had no choice but to wait and see what Kam Un had planned for them. People hushed as Kam Un raised his staff, pointing upwards to his left. In a flash, small sparks went off in the direction he indicated. Again, moving his staff to another point, sparks flashed and showered down in a sparkle of colours. The audience watched in awe, thinking it was some kind of display. But to the Card Captors, there was no mistaking it. Either an explosion or a fire would occur if those sparks grew to be too intense. 

Glancing subtly at each other, the trio nodded and decided it was time to stop him. Syaoran and Di Shang slipped out quietly. As Sakura followed them, she was stopped by a hand on her shoulder. She turned around and looked at Chi Yuen. "Where are you going, Sakura?" he whispered to her. 

Sakura quickly thought up an excuse. "I have to go to the rest room," she whispered back, though she could hardly be heard by the applause picking up in the audience. 

"Now?" asked Chi Yuen, surprised. "In the middle of this show?" Sakura nodded. 

"I'll be back soon," she said, taking this chance to leave before anyone else stopped her. As Sakura was about to make her way outside, the lights completely went out. Nervous clamours became apparent with the spectators. "If there's going to be a battle," thought Sakura. "Which is most likely with the Jiao Card user involved, then all these people would discover my secret." Seeing how it was pitch-black within the building, Sakura pulled out her star key and changed it to her wand. Taking The Sleep out, she released it, ordering the card to put all people to sleep. She had thought of using The Slumber, too, to finish the task faster, but decided it was risky to use the former Jiao Card. As she put the Sleep Card away, Di Shang ran up to her, panting heavily. "What's wrong, Di Shang?" she asked. She looked around. "Where's Syaoran?" 

Taking hold of her arm, Di Shang brought Sakura along with him as he ran. "No time to explain. We have to get out of here, and fast." Sakura pulled her arm free and stopped. 

"Wait a minute," she said. "What's going on? Why won't you tell - ah!" Something grabbed hold of Sakura. 

With his sword in hand, Di Shang cried, "Lightning! Strike!" The lightning flew out from the tip of his sword and toasted the shade that had caught Sakura. It fell and hit the ground with a loud thump. Hearing something, Sakura turned around and saw the ghost-like figure on the ground. Seeing another one heading in her direction, Sakura froze in place, afraid. "Come on, Sakura," said Di Shang, bringing her to safety. 

Finding a niche in the wall, Di Shang climbed into it, pulling Sakura in, too. It was a tight squeeze, but they both fit in. Taking out a charm, he placed a quick spell on it. The charm flew to the mouth of the niche and it formed a barrier over the opening. He kept as still as he possibly could, but could not account for Sakura. She was still shaking after the encounter with the ghosts. Di Shang held her in his arms, close to him, and whispered softly, "Don't worry. They can't harm you here. We'll be safe; just calm down a little." Sakura looked at him and nodded slowly. The shades flew by, checking every corner, Sakura tightened her grip on Di Shang and shifted her gaze away from the opening of the niche, so she didn't have to look at the shades. She found herself looking into Di Shang's eyes. His hazel eyes contained a reassuring look in them and something about them made her feel safe. "I won't let The Ghastly hurt you," he said in a low whisper. 

Afterward, although The Ghastly had long since past, Di Shang didn't want to leave their hide-out until he was completely sure they were gone. He had encountered the Ghastly Card before and learned one thing: they were very weak against lightning. After they had gone back down to solid ground, Sakura was still worried about something. "Where's Syaoran?" she asked Di Shang. 

Di Shang shook his head. "I have no idea," he responded. "When we almost were outside, a group of shades attacked us and drove us to separate directions. I haven't seen him since-" He stopped mid-sentence, hearing something in the distance. "Do you hear that?" he asked Sakura. 

Sakura closed her eyes and tried to pick up the sound. As she opened them, she nodded. "It's coming from the ring," she said. 

"Then that's where we're going," said Di Shang. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"How nice of you to join me, Card Mistress." 

Upon reaching the ring, Sakura and Di Shang stopped short just outside of the center stage. The lights were still out, that is, except for one lone light. The one that shone above Kam Un. The Jiao user was sitting on the edge of a high platform, his arms folded. He slid off the platform, dropping several metres, and landing neatly on his feet. He studied the Card Captors for a moment. "Hmm," said Kam Un, finally. "I count only two of you. Someone's missing." His index finger tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Now," he continued. "Who could it be? Ah, I know. It must be Syaoran." 

Di Shang clenched his hands into fists. "What did you do to him?" he demanded. 

Kam Un looked at Di Shang with mock surprise. "What makes you think I had anything to do with his disappearance?" He smirked. "But, anyhow, I have the feeling that Syaoran's a little _tied_ up right now." As Kam Un snapped his fingers, another spotlight appeared. Sakura paled slightly. High up on the platform Kam Un had recently occupied sat Syaoran. He was lashed tightly to the pole with ropes. He had apparently been struggling to break free, but the ropes held fast. As Sakura looked up, she could see that the only way to reach him was blocked by the Jiao user. The alternative was the tightrope that stretched across and connected it to another platform. Oddly, though, there was a strange mist appearing inside the ring. It did not block one's vision but it did block something else instead. 

Pulling out a tiny object out of his robe's pocket, Kam Un gave a short battle chant and the object transformed to a broad sword, with a blade almost identical to that of Syaoran's and Di Shang's. "As you can see, the only way to reach Syaoran is to defeat me," he told the Card Captors. 

Di Shang, in turn, drew his own sword. "Fine," he answered. Di Shang lunged at Kam Un, striking at him, but Kam Un smoothly moved aside. He met every one of Di Shang's strokes, counteracting them. Sakura watched on, not knowing what to do. She was not as skilled with the sword as Di Shang was and if she were to fight with the Sword Card, she'd just get in the way. Sakura looked back up at the platform. She had to get to Syaoran. Taking out The Fly, she tried to release it, so she could fly up there and help Syaoran down. After a few moments, nothing happened. Sakura stared at her staff. What was wrong with it? 

"I should have warned you beforehand, Card Mistress," said Kam Un, pausing a moment from his battle. "This mist makes you unable to release any of the cards already in their card form. Now we'll see what you can accomplish without your cards for assistance." Kam Un stopped talking and turned his attention back to his duel with Di Shang. Sakura knew what she had to do. She ran to the other pole, the one holding up the second platform. Placing a hand on the ladder, she looked up. It was so high up. Forgetting that, Sakura concentrated on climbing quickly. 

Looking for Sakura, Di Shang spotted her climbing onto the platform. As Sakura climbed onto the landing, she looked at the tightrope, then past it, she saw Syaoran. He appeared to be unconscious. He was slumped over, his head bent forward. Sakura bit her lip. She knew she must gather all her courage and cross the tightrope to him. But how? She stepped to the edge of the platform and looked down. She reeled back, surprised at the altitude and barely being able to see the ground. But she could see it. And it was a long drop. Di Shang caught her sudden movement out of the corner of his eye. "She's not thinking of walking that tightrope, is she?" he thought to himself. "It's too dangerous." Changing his attention back to the battle, Di Shang leapt back just in time to avoid being sliced into ribbons by Kam Un's quick motion. 

"You can't divert your attention when you fight me," he told him. "Full concentration is always necessary. Otherwise, you'll never be able to beat me." 

"I'll finish you yet," replied Di Shang through clenched teeth. He gazed up at Sakura for a second. "Please be careful, Sakura," he thought silently. 

Sakura swallowed her nervousness. She had to show Kam Un that she could not be so easily defeated. She had to prove to him that she was much stronger than she looked. Keeping her eyes straight ahead of her, Sakura gingerly placed one foot on the tightrope. Years of being a cheerleader had taught her how to keep her balance at the utmost times. Moving her arms out to her side and holding them out, she lined them to be perpendicular from her body. She refused to shift her gaze to the ground, instead, focusing them on Syaoran. That was her goal. To reach the opposite end and free Syaoran. Slowly, she placed one foot after the other. "Left," she chanted in her mind. "Then right. Now left. Right again." Passing the midpoint mark, Sakura inwardly sighed with relief. "You're almost there!" her mind cried out. 

Syaoran began to stir. His head was hurting, as if someone was still pounding him. Trying to move, he found himself tied to a pole. Then he remembered what happened. Forgetting about the shades that had attacked him earlier, he looked up and saw Sakura heading toward him, but in a very slow manner. Her arms were outstretched at her sides and she was gazing straight at him. As his vision cleared, he realized she was walking on a thin rope, attached to the platform he was tied to. "What's she doing that for?" he thought. "Why doesn't she just use the Fly Card?" Suddenly, a shape rose from the tightrope. Sakura saw it, too, and she stopped moving. The visible form of the shape looked somewhat like a clown, with a jester hat and pants billowing out. The costume it wore had spots of weighing scales all around it. It carried a baton in its right hand, which it deftly tossed into the air and caught it, at the same time, balancing easily on the tightrope. "A Jiao Card," whispered Syaoran. 

The Card had had its back to Sakura, but it made a backwards flip and it landed, without moving the rope, a few feet in front of her, a mocking grin on its face. Within a blink of an eye, the unknown Card advanced quickly towards Sakura. The Card Mistress stepped back with surprise from the sudden advancement, but her foot slipped. She screamed as she fell, plummeting toward the ground. "Sakura!" cried both Syaoran and Di Shang. 

Swiftly, Di Shang pulled out a charm. Placing his sword against it, he shouted, "Element: Wind!" The wind caught Sakura before she hit the ground and brought her back up to the top. Di Shang breathed a sigh of relief. Taking his eyes away from Sakura, Di Shang was struck with full force by Kam Un and he slammed into the wall. The impact took the breath out of him and he slumped down. Hearing Kam Un's approaching footsteps, Di Shang looked up, his sword still held tight in his hand. He was not going down without a fight. He dragged himself up to a standing position. Kam Un smirked; then reared back with his sword and slashed down upon Di Shang's right arm. Pain surged from the cut and blood flowed easily. Di Shang's sword fell from his grasp, he being unable to hold it any longer. Yet, he still stood, holding his ground. 

Kam Un smiled. "I like that," he said. "A warrior with persistence." He knew as well as Di Shang that Di Shang could no longer battle, not in his present condition. Di Shang had taken too many hits already and could barely defend himself anymore. Instead, Kam Un knocked him out with the back of his sword handle. Di Shang hit the ground hard, his eyelids closed. With the other boy out of commission, Kam Un changed his attention to the Card Mistress. 

The wind created by the charm brought Sakura to the platform Syaoran was on and placed her down. Not only had the wind saved Sakura, but it had also cleared away the mist that disallowed Sakura to used her staff. "Windy!" she cried, releasing her card. "Wrap yourself around that card and trap it!" The Windy swiftly flew out, it's winds moving around the other Card, violently shaking it. The Card fell off the tightrope, but as it did, Windy wrapped it and flew back to Sakura, the card still tied up. "I command you to return to your power confined!" cried Sakura. The unknown Card changed from its visible form to its card form. For some reason, this card was not as difficult to seal as the others before it. Sakura concluded it was because she had more practise sealing Jiao Cards and in time, there would be no difficulty at all. But she did not notice that after sealing the card, she had a significantly lower energy level than before. The sealed card flew toward its captor. Touching the card, it changed to a Sakura Card. "The Balance," she read off the card. All was quiet for several minutes. 

"A little help here?" came Syaoran's voice. 

"Huh?" said Sakura. She noticed Syaoran was still tied to the pole. "Oh, I'm sorry." She put away the Balance Card and pulled out The Sword. "Sword Card," she started. 

"Wait." 

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Use mine instead." Syaoran indicated to his sword. It was resting in its case, tied to his back. Sakura nodded. She unsheathed his sword and stared at it in wonder. It was much heavier than what she was accustomed to. Bringing it down upon the ropes, they split apart and Syaoran was free. He rubbed his sore wrists. "Thanks," he said gruffly, taking his sword and placing it back in its case. They both made their way down, back to solid ground again. As Sakura stepped off the ladder, she cried out when she saw Di Shang's still form, lying on the ground. She immediately ran to his side. 

"Di Shang!" she cried. "Di Shang!" Syaoran had already helped his cousin into a sitting position, but Di Shang was still unconscious. Sakura was shaking him gently, trying to make him respond. "Wake up!" 

"Sakura?" whispered Di Shang. "Are you okay?" 

Sakura nodded. "I'm all right," she answered. "All thanks to you." 

Di Shang permitted a small smile to alight his face. "I'm glad." 

"You're wounded," said Sakura, as she checked him over, worry in her voice. Di Shang tried to get up, but he collapsed. "Don't move," she said. "We'll get you fixed up. Just be careful." Syaoran was silent as he applied ointment to some of his cousin's cuts and bruises. As Sakura lifted up Di Shang's arm, she gasped when she saw the blood flowing from the wound. "We have to stop the bleeding," she said, taking the sleeve of her school jacket between her teeth. Syaoran stopped her before she could tear it. 

"Use this instead," he said. He handed her Di Shang's jacket. Or, half of it, anyway. It had gotten pretty torn up after his battle with Kam Un. Taking the jacket, Sakura teared out long strips and with Syaoran holding Di Shang's arm, she applied it gently, topping it off with a tight knot. Di Shang weakly smiled his thanks. After being helped up, Di Shang placed his arm around Sakura's shoulders; she was using herself as support. Syaoran was about to help Di Shang by supporting his other side when a movement caught his eye. It was Kam Un. Leaving his two friends, he ran after the Jiao user and caught up to him just at the exit. Grabbing the collar of his robes, Syaoran roughly pushed Kam Un into the wall. Kam Un merely smiled at him. 

"I'm sorry, Syaoran," he said. "But it's too late to catch me. Till next time." Syaoran moved back with surprise as Kam Un disappeared, his hands now holding nothing more than air. Angry at having missed him again, Syaoran rejoined his cousin and Sakura. 

"You know, Sakura," Di Shang was saying. He pointed to the audience. "Don't you think it's about time they woke up?" Sakura looked up and exclaimed with surprise. She had completely forgotten about them. As she released everyone from her sleep spell, the ring filled with noise again, with people chattering, they not knowing the events that had just passed. Soon after, with the show over at last, people began to leave. At the ground level, the Card Captors' friends joined them, excited about the show. Rika, Chiharu, and Naoko chatted animatedly, with Takashi trying to add his two cents, while Chi Yuen sort of stood aloof. He never felt comfortable with anyone, excepting Sakura, and was always silent in the crowd. 

"Next time," thought Syaoran, looking up at the platform he had been on. "Next time, I'll get you, Kam Un." 

Author's Note: I was going to cut the ending in this chapter and move it to the beginning of the next one because, again, I made the part too long. Oh, well. I guess this means that this is my longest chapter yet. Hmm…this chapter sort of started off with Sakura + Syaoran, but then it almost finished with Sakura + Di Shang. As you can obviously see, this series will contain a mixture of both couplings. Although I'm not finished yet (not even close!), I'd like your opinion: do you want Sakura to be with Syaoran or Di Shang? And which coupling do you want the series to end with? I'm currently undecided. Even though I am partial to Syaoran, I still like my character, Di Shang, a lot. ^_^ 

*Sakura  
~The Animé Archives Team

   [1]: mailto:taateam@hotmail.com?subject=New Cards Fan Fic



	5. Blizzard and Ice

****

The New Cards 

Blizzard and Ice: Chapter Five

By: [Sakura][1]

In the midst of the falling snow, Sakura danced around merrily. Passing by, Chi Yuen chuckled at the scene. Hearing him, Sakura halted to a stop, a blush creeping onto her cheeks. Sweeping snow off a ledge, Chi Yuen sat down on it, smiling at her. "Don't let my presence stop your fun," he said. He cocked his head. "Why are you dancing out here, anyway?" 

Sakura indicated to the snow all around her. "Isn't it so beautiful?" she asked. "Every little flake has a swirl of designs. It's just been such a long time since we've had so much snow in Tomoeda." 

"The snow is nice," answered Chi Yuen. "But if we don't get going, we'll both be late for school." Sakura nodded and they both ran toward school. At school, Sakura hurried into the classroom and sat down at her desk. It was the last day of classes, before their holiday break. Everyone was in the holiday spirit and plans were being made for the vacation. When Mr. Terada walked in, all plans were put on hold as students scrambled to their desks. Sakura noticed that both Syaoran and Di Shang were away and she wondered why. At that moment, as Mr. Terada began taking attendance, a girl walked in. She had long purple hair and a soft expression gracing her face. She also had a big smile, holding a small video camera in her hand. 

Sakura's eyes lit up as she recognized her friend. "Class," said Mr. Terada, calling their attention. "This is Daidouji Tomoyo. She will be joining our class just for today. Please present a warm welcome to her." The class nodded. Mr. Terada indicated for Tomoyo to take the seat behind Sakura, and as soon as she was settled, the class began, for Mr. Terada never wasted any time for lessons. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

During their lunch period, Sakura threw Tomoyo a big bear hug. "Careful, Sakura," Tomoyo chided gently. "This camera breaks easily." 

Sakura smiled brightly. "You haven't changed at all!" she said. "I've missed seeing you so much! Letters and phone calls are okay up to a point, but they aren't the real thing." 

Laughing, Tomoyo asked, "So how many cards do you have? Let me see them." As Sakura was about to take her cards out, the others joined them, each giving Tomoyo a hug. 

"It's great to see you," said Chiharu. "But how come you're here?" 

"My school let's out a day before yours," answered Tomoyo. "So I thought I'd come and visit all my friends." Looking into her bag, she whipped out a few cards. "Which reminds me; I'm going to have a Christmas party on the twenty-fourth, so here are the invitations." She passed them out to everyone. 

Sakura opened the card and after skimming through it, said, "You went all out for this, didn't you, Tomoyo?" 

Tomoyo literally beamed. "You don't know how far I went." She walked over to Chi Yuen and handed him an invitation also. Chi Yuen, who had been standing aloof, took it questioningly. Tomoyo smiled brightly. "Any friend of Sakura is a friend of mine. I hope you'll come." Chi Yuen nodded. 

"I'll be there," he told her. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Sakura was walking out of the school after classes, looking at Tomoyo's invitation. On the cover was a Christmas tree, decorated with strangely familiar looking ornaments. As she was about to examine it, Tomoyo caught up with her. "You're going to Syaoran's aren't you, Sakura?" she asked her friend. 

"Huh?" said Sakura, realizing for the first time Tomoyo was there. She turned red. "Err…yeah. I just want to see why he and Di Shang didn't come to school." 

"I hope they didn't go back to Hong Kong," said Tomoyo. Sakura glanced at her sharply, which Tomoyo pretended not to notice. "I really would like to meet Di Shang, and see Syaoran again." She cocked her head and watched Sakura. "Has he changed a bit?" Sakura shook her head, though rather indecisively. Tomoyo laughed. "I guess we can't expect much, huh?" 

When they reached their destination, Sakura lightly knocked on Syaoran's apartment's door. A muffled crash could be heard and some murmurs behind the door. A moment later, the door opened, revealing Di Shang. His face lit up. "Sakura! What are you doing here?" 

"I just came to see why you and Syaoran weren't at school today," she said. "Is something wrong?" 

Di Shang laughed. "Syaoran has a cold and didn't feel like going to school today, so I kept him company." He opened the door wider. "Would you like to come in?" Seeing Tomoyo, he added, "And your friend, too?" 

Before Sakura could answer, Tomoyo pushed her in, saying, "We'd love to!" Sakura began to protest, but she was already in. Di Shang closed the door and turned to face them. Both girls were gawking at the state of the room. Di Shang grinned and sweatdropped. 

"Don't mind the mess," he said. "With Syaoran sick, things don't get picked up." 

"Could we see him?" asked Sakura. 

Shaking his head, Di Shang gave a negative reply. "I'd advise you not to, unless you want to catch a cold, too." Sakura nodded, slightly downhearted. 

"Well, then tell Syaoran we stopped by," said Tomoyo. She held out her hand to Di Shang and he accepted it. "Hi, I'm Daidouji Tomoyo," she said, shaking his. "Nice to meet you." 

Di Shang smiled. "I'm Li Di Shang. My pleasure." 

Tomoyo beamed. "I've heard a lot of great things about you, Di Shang. Here," she said, handing him two invitations. "This is for you and Syaoran." Turning to Sakura, she added, "Come on, Sakura, Let's get going." Sakura waved goodbye to Di Shang and left with Tomoyo. 

Syaoran was standing by his bedroom door, the door slightly ajar. Di Shang walked in, pushing the door open, and Syaoran stumbled backward with surprise. Di Shang eyed his cousin lying in a heap on the ground, tangled with his bed sheets, then tossed him the card. Syaoran caught it and opened it. When he finished reading, he looked up and saw Di Shang leaving the room. Turning, Di Shang said, "Go back to bed. You need your rest. How do you expect to battle in your condition?" 

"I'm fine!" retorted Syaoran, but he ended with a sneezing fit. Di Shang left the room, closing the door behind him. Syaoran looked back at the card. "A Christmas party, huh?" He closed it and put it away. "I'm definitely going. A cold can't stop m-ah…ah…ah-choo!" 

~*~*~*~*~*~

The Christmas spirit is in the air. That night, Tomoyo's home sparkled like a gem. Everything was decorated; the porch, the windows, the roof, even the trees outside. Walking on the walkway leading up to Tomoyo's house, Sakura pulled her coat around her even tighter. Not being able to withstand the freezing cold atmosphere any longer, she ran the rest of the way and in seconds, reached the front door. Shivering in her dress, she rang the doorbell. The door opened and Sakura walked in, awed at the décor. To her right stood a tall tree, towering over, beautifully adorned. There were bright colourful lights, strings of beads, bells, and other ornaments that looked familiar to her. She walked up to the tree to take a closer look. She realized that several of the ornaments looked like the top part of her star wand, wings and all. Others looked like her former staff, the one with the head of a bird. Oddly still were the ornaments that were in the shapes of Kero and Spinel Sun's heads. 

"Do you like them?" Tomoyo walked into the foyer, joining her friend's side. 

Sakura nodded. "They're beautiful," she answered. "Did you make them?" 

Tomoyo smiled. "I did." She took one of the Kero ornaments off the branch and giggled. "Isn't it cute?" she asked, holding it up. "It looks just like him when he's eating!" Sakura suppressed a laugh and instead, smiled brightly. "Come on," said Tomoyo. "Let's go join the others. You're the last one here." Leaving her coat in the closet, Sakura and Tomoyo went to join the other guests, but Sakura didn't go without putting her presents under the big tree first. There was no one else at Tomoyo's that time of night; save for the guests Tomoyo invited. 

One requirement that Tomoyo had made on her invitation was that she was having a black-tie party, meaning, everyone had to come dressed in their best. The group present wasn't a large one; nine in all: Tomoyo, Sakura, Rika, Naoko, Chiharu, Takashi, Syaoran, Di Shang, and Chi Yuen. All four guys wore black tuxedos, while the girls wore something completely different from each other. Rika wore a simple long-sleeved azure-hued dress that tinted her short brown hair and she also had gloves that reached her elbows, to match. Naoko wore a light peach dress, with sleeves touching her elbows, and her hair clipped back out of her sight's way, for she was without her glasses. Chiharu's hair was parted into pigtails, as usual, held up with turquoise bows, and she wore a matching dress that came up to her knees. Tomoyo was dressed in a pastel green dress that nearly touched the ground, with her hair swept back in a high ponytail, but wisps of hair escaped the ponytail and framed her face. A video camera was held in her right hand. She beamed at her guests, taking shots when they weren't looking. 

Sakura's dress was both simple and elegant. The dress she wore was rosy pink in colour with short sleeves and a long full skirt, decorated with little golden stars. The dress wrapped around her waist, outlining her waist before tapering out. The hem swept the floor as she walked. This dress was another one of Tomoyo's long list of self-made creations. Her hair, though the style was the same, was decorated with pink and white ribbons. Her star key hung around her neck, looking like nothing more than a simple pendant. Her cheeks were light pink from the cold. Unlike the other girls, Sakura didn't wear high-heeled shoes. Instead, she wore comfortable flats that matched her dress, a star on the front and back. Short gloves covered her hands, also decorated with little stars. 

Syaoran nearly reeled back when he Sakura. She was so beautiful, so captivating. When she looked at him with her bright emerald-green eyes and smiled, his breath was stolen away. She had the face of an angel… 

Noticing that Syaoran was gaping, Di Shang elbowed his cousin lightly in the ribs. "Beautiful, isn't she?" he commented innocently. Syaoran nodded, his eyes not leaving Sakura. Then he realized what Di Shang had said and his ears burned. He scowled at him. 

"She looks nice, just like everyone else," he said defensively. "I just wasn't paying attention to what you were saying. It's not like I like her or anything." 

Di Shang nodded with a grin and Syaoran left him with a huff. "Who are you trying to convince, Syaoran?" thought Di Shang. "Me…or yourself?" 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Sakura was really happy that night. She was enjoying herself immensely, surrounded by all her close friends. Chi Yuen had even become a close friend now. Just a few minutes before, Tomoyo had pounced on Di Shang as soon as she had the opportunity and dragged him away from the others for a moment, so she could ask him about Jiao Wan and the new cards. The rest of the group was settled in her large living room. Takashi sat in one corner with everyone and he was exclaiming why Christmas day had earned its name. Sakura was sitting on the opposite end of the room so she couldn't hear what his story was. But she did see Chiharu grip Takashi's ear and yell at him about something. Chi Yuen was sitting with Sakura and they were chatting. Sakura had asked Chi Yuen about his home, which he explained simply, until she persuaded him to elaborate, which he then obliged to do. Occasionally, though, Syaoran would look over at their direction, a look of anger and jealousy on his face. 

When Sakura had questioned where Chi Yuen was from, he told her he came from Xiamen, in the province of Fujian. When she asked where that is, he said it was in southern China, north-east of Hong Kong. Surprised, Sakura told him she had thought he was from northern China but Chi Yuen cleared that up by telling her he was living Tianjin, in the north, temporarily with his father. But he had been forced to move away from his father for personal reasons. After mentioning the latter, Chi Yuen suddenly seemed downcast. Sakura watched him with sympathetic eyes and told him that she was sure everything would work out fine. Smiling wanly, Chi Yuen said he hoped so. 

Suddenly, the lights in the room - and the entire house - went out. After attempting to turn the lights back on with the switch, Takashi suggested that maybe this was the doing of a ghost. Silence followed his comment and all could hear the wind howling outside. Sakura shivered at the thought. Syaoran had moved to Sakura's side and gazed at her reassuringly. Sakura smiled softly at him. Whenever he was near her, she always felt safe and protected from any danger. 

After a few moments, Tomoyo returned with Di Shang. "It must be a power outage," she stated. "It's stopped snowing so I'll be right back. I have to go see how the problem can be fixed outside." The others nodded and Tomoyo left. Sakura hurried after her friend, keeping her company, and still a little worried about ghosts. They both slipped into their coats and walked outside. Though it no longer snowed, the wind was still freezing cold. Tomoyo was heading toward the side wall of the great house. Attached to the side was a little tiny shed, one that held the power box, the source of all the lights. Unlocking the door, she entered the room. Sakura was about to follow, but the wind slammed the door shut. Tomoyo whirled around and tried to open the door, but it was locked tight. Sakura's gloved hands, clenched into fists, banged on the door, but it wouldn't budge. The winds swirling around her grew colder and fiercer. 

"I'll get you out of there!" screamed Sakura over the wind, hoping she could be heard. No matter how hard she hit the door, nothing worked. Suddenly, shivers crawled down her spine, and Sakura turned around, only to be pushed into the wall by a strong, icy blast. She hit it hard and dropped to her knees. Looking up, she saw two figures. "Not more Jiao Cards," she whispered to herself. Taking out her star key, she transformed it to a wand and stood up, holding her ground. One of the figures appeared to be made entirely of ice, its short hair nothing more than slick and sharp icicles. The other didn't look unlike the Snow Card at all. She had long flowing hair and also long white robes. When she lifted her hand, a flurry of snow shot toward the Card Mistress. 

Sakura quickly rolled out of the way, thanking Tomoyo in her mind for making her a dress suited for mobility. As she was about to move out of reach of the two cards, an icy orb flew right by her and hit the side of the house, a wall of ice being the end result, blocking her route of escape. Trying to leave the opposite direction, the same thing happened and looking around, Sakura realized she was pinned by the cards. There was no way to go. On both sides of her were walls of ice; behind her stood Tomoyo's home; and the two cards were before her. 

As they advanced slowly, Sakura backed away until she touched the wall of the house. Swiftly pulling out a card, she cried out, "Firey! Release!" The Firey Card's visible form appeared. "Firey! Use your flames to decrease the Jiao Cards' energy!" The flames on The Firey grew and it flew aggressively at the two cards. The Sakura Card couldn't get anywhere near the Jiao Cards for the latter both combined their power and shot an orb of energy at The Firey, an orb, combined with ice and snow, that was more powerful than The Firey could withstand. The card hit the ground and changed back into its original form. 

Sakura's eyes widened. "If Firey couldn't defeat them," she thought. "What card can?" Looking past the wall of ice to her right, Sakura was thankful that Tomoyo and the shed were outside of the Jiao Cards attack range, meaning her friend wouldn't get hurt. As the Card Mistress prepared to pull out another card, the icy Jiao Card shot another orb, this one smaller than the ones before, and made of an odd liquidy substance. This caught Sakura around the midsection and the liquid expanded. It forced her into the wall and pinned her against it, turning into ice. She struggled to free herself from the ice, but to no avail. Her staff, though still in her hand, was frozen as well. Looking up, she saw the second Jiao Card making it snow, shaking strong blizzards out of her robes. She ducked her head down, trying to avoid the icy cold sensation on her face. Sakura shivered, her coat useless now. She felt her energy slipping away as she closed her eyes and gave herself up to the frigid darkness. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"You know," said Chiharu, looking out the window. "They've both been gone for an awfully long time." She turned and faced the others. "I'm getting worried about them." Everyone, except Tomoyo and Sakura, had huddled into a little group for not only had the lights gone, but the heat, too. 

"The lights aren't back yet," replied Takashi. "And neither is the heat, so they're probably still working on it. It's a good thing it isn't snowing still." As soon as he finished his sentence, a fierce blizzard of snow suddenly came into view. He sweatdropped. "Uh," he said. "Forget what I just said." Turning he saw Syaoran and Di Shang leaving the room. "Where do you think you're going?" asked Takashi. 

"We're going to see if Sakura and Tomoyo are okay," answered Di Shang. Syaoran had already left. 

"Let us come, too," said Naoko. 

Di Shang shook his head. "Don't," he said. "It's too dangerous. Leave it to us." He gave them all a stern warning look. "And don't let me catch any of you outside." He turned and hurried after Syaoran. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

The second Syaoran stepped outside, a Jiao Card attacked him. This one threw gales of wind and snow at him, causing him to temporarily lose his direction. Di Shang immediately joined him after he left the building. When Di Shang was about to speak, Syaoran cut him off, shouting over the wind. "Get Sakura!" he yelled. "Her energy is diminishing fast! There has to be two cards attacking at the same time!" 

Di Shang nodded in agreement. "You're fighting the Blizzard Card right now, Syaoran!" he shouted in return. "Be careful! This card can pull out snow storms out of its sleeve at any time!" Running through the thick snow, and away from his cousin, Di Shang found himself at the side of Tomoyo's home, where he saw a small shed and huge walls of ice. "Those ice blocks aren't natural. It has to be the Ice Card," he concluded. Squinting to see, Di Shang spotted the Jiao Card, but his eyes widened when he saw Sakura. A slab of ice pinned her firmly to the wall, her staff frozen in the slab as well. She wasn't moving at all. Her head was hunched forward, her hair hanging limply, framing her face. The rosiness in her cheeks had long since vanished. If she stayed out there any longer, she could freeze to death. 

Taking out a charm and drawing the sword he had brought along to the party, Di Shang cried, "Element: Fire!" The flame attacked the Ice Card, distracting it from its current prey. He knew that if he tried to rescue Sakura, the Jiao Card would merely attack him from behind. The only way out was to seal the card. Di Shang pondered momentarily what else he could do, but in no time, The Ice turned and attacked him. Shards of ice swept by him, slicing the sleeves and pants of his tuxedo and piercing his skin underneath. Tiny drops of blood splattered on the white snow. Ignoring the small cuts, Di Shang somersaulted under The Ice. Getting up, he now stood facing the side wall of the house. The Ice Card turned around and shot another volley of icicles. Di Shang ducked down and hit the ground. The icicles in turn flew and hit The Blizzard Card, knocking it to the ground and pinning it there. Syaoran, his own sword drawn, swiftly sealed the Blizzard Card. Enraged, The Ice began its attack on Syaoran, shooting more icicles at the Card Captor. Syaoran deftly dodged the attacks, drawing the card away from Sakura and Di Shang. 

With the Ice Card further away, Di Shang ran to Sakura's side. Touching her cheeks with the back of his hand, he felt the severe chill in them and his hazel eyes filled with worry. Again, using a charm, he called upon the element of fire. The flame melted away the ice pinning Sakura, releasing her from her trap. Still unconscious, she fell, but was caught by Di Shang. After checking the Card Mistress' condition, he realized that she was perfectly fine except for one thing; she had no physical warmth. Well, it wasn't none at all, but she barely had any. 

Di Shang had nothing with him at that moment that could warm her up, that is, besides one thing; himself. Without a second thought, he wrapped his arms around Sakura's unmoving form and held her near him. He also brushed off the snow and the ice sticking to her coat; they had been weighing it down and making it impossible to keep her warm earlier. He placed his warm cheek against her cold one. "Come on, Sakura," he whispered into her ear. "We need you. You can't leave us, especially at this time. We have to work together to defeat Kam Un and seal the remaining Jiao Cards. Do you hear me?" He received no answer from her at all. 

Hearing a noise coming from the shed, Di Shang, with Sakura in his arms, ran toward it. Seeing Tomoyo through a window, he opened the door by simply cutting off the hinges with his sword. The door fell and hit the ground. Tomoyo, having been trapped up until that moment, ran out, happy to be out of captivity. Having seen the events that occurred through the window in the shed, Tomoyo presented a clean blanket she found in the shed and wrapped it around Sakura. Placing her inside the shed, Di Shang left Tomoyo to care for Sakura while he went to help Syaoran with the Ice Card. Tomoyo, though worried about Sakura, wished she had her video camera with her. It was so touching; the two knights in armour, fighting to save their princess. She sighed, eyes sparkling. It was just so romantic. 

Moments after Di Shang had left, Sakura slowly came to, her cheeks warming back to a faint pink. Tomoyo smiled happily, relieved that her friend was okay. Sakura looked around. "How did I get in here?" she asked. 

"Di Shang placed you here," replied Tomoyo. 

"Di Shang? Where is he now?" Tomoyo pointed outside. Sakura looked out and saw both Syaoran and Di Shang, fighting the Ice Card. Getting up, she ran two steps before falling down. Tomoyo helped her up immediately. 

"Be careful, Sakura," she said. "You were just frozen a few minutes ago." Sakura nodded. Using her wand, Sakura released the Fly Card. Wings sprouting from her back, she took flight and flew toward the battle area. Tomoyo stayed behind, watching, and wishing more than ever that she had her video camera. Reaching the other Card Captors, Sakura returned The Fly to its Card form. Both Di Shang and Syaoran appeared to be relieved that the Card Mistress was okay. Without pausing, the Ice Card continually delivered hails of icicles toward them. Syaoran and Di Shang used their swords to counteract the icicles while Sakura deflected them with her staff. The Ice constantly changed its direction of attack, from one Card Captor to the other. Now, it was focused on Di Shang. Taking a quick breather, Syaoran was by Sakura's side. 

"Try using The Firey, Sakura," he said. 

Sakura shook her head. "The Firey isn't strong enough. I tried it earlier and the Jiao Cards defeated it easily." 

"Then use The Flame, instead," he replied. 

"The Flame?" asked Sakura, a frightened look in her eyes. The Flame Card had been sealed just two weeks before and Sakura was hesitant to use it. After all, the Jiao Cards were malicious, unlike the Clow Cards. If she used them, they could backfire on her. "It's too dangerous," she said slowly. "It may be too powerful for any of us to control…" 

Syaoran, unknown to him the reason why, was becoming exasperated. "We need that power!" he yelled, his tone implying annoyance at her. "Don't be a weakling! Just use that card!" Realizing he was shouting at her, though barely being heard over the howl of the wind, Syaoran looked away. "What's wrong with me?" he thought. The Ice chose that moment to turn on him and he leapt out of its path, further away from Sakura. Syaoran was rather thankful, because now he wouldn't have to face Sakura. 

Sakura's eyes filled with hurt at Syaoran's harsh tone. He had never yelled at her like that before. Di Shang was at her side now, looking at her with concern. Sakura wiped away the tears in her eyes and looked up. "I'll show him what a _weakling_ can do," she thought. Di Shang saw the look of determination in her eyes and smiled at her. Sakura took out the Flame Card and released it. "Flame Card!" she cried. "Weaken The Ice by engulfing it with your robes of fire!" The Flame Card took on its visible form in a blaze of fiery light. Encircling the Ice Card, the Jiao Card was forced to the ground, its icy robes turning liquidy, water raining as it struggled with The Flame. Unable to keep up anymore, The Ice collapsed on the ground, its energy spent. Di Shang went ahead and sealed the card before it could replenish its energy. Tired, Sakura sat on the ground, shoulders slightly hunched forward. Feeling a touch on her shoulder, Sakura looked up and saw Di Shang. 

"Let's go back inside," he said. "It's much more comfortable in there than it is out here." He helped her to her feet. Sakura, legs giving way underneath her, was caught by Di Shang before she could fall again. "I guess it's safe to assume that using Jiao Cards takes a toll on your energy supply, too," he said. Sakura nodded. She looked over at Syaoran, who was standing aloof, avoiding her gaze. Her eyes clouded with sadness. Joining the trio of Card Captors, Tomoyo helped Di Shang and they both supported Sakura on their way inside. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Syaoran was sitting on the windowsill, his gaze focused outside. The weather was calm now without The Ice and The Blizzard creating storms. The electricity in Tomoyo's home had returned as mysteriously as it had left. Now, with the exception of Syaoran, everyone was gathered around the big Christmas tree, giving presents to each other. 

Sakura slowly approached Syaoran. Without turning around, Syaoran asked harshly, "What do you want?" Undaunted, Sakura walked up and stood next to him. After a few moments passed, Syaoran turned and faced her, stormy amber eyes facing serene emerald ones. Sakura held out a little wrapped box to him. Syaoran's eyes softened and he accepted it, rather questioningly. 

"This is for you," she said quietly. "Merry Christmas." She turned around and began to walk away. 

Looking at the small box, then at her retreating back, Syaoran called to her, "Wait." Sakura stopped and turned around. Syaoran got off the windowsill and handed her a package, wrapped in an odd shape. Sakura accepted the package and thanked him. Hearing Tomoyo called her, she left him and joined her friend by the Christmas tree. Syaoran sat back down on the windowsill, looking at his gift. Curious about its contents, he unwrapped it. Taking off the lid, he found a small replica of a wolf. It had been made with delicate hands and examining the features, it had taken a very long time to make. On the wolf's left fore leg was Syaoran's name, in Chinese characters. Syaoran then remembered seeing Sakura painting the figure in art class a long time ago, at the beginning of the school year. Shifting his gaze to the Christmas tree, Syaoran watched Sakura, a soft expression on his face. He was hoping what he said earlier hadn't hurt her. Holding the little wolf close to his heart, Syaoran whispered, "Thank you, Sakura." 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"It's snowing!" 

Sakura swatted at her alarm clock before realizing it was Kero that had awakened her. "Don't remind me," she said, sitting up and yawning widely. "I've experienced enough ice and snow to last me a lifetime." 

Kero's eyes watered comically. "I wish I could've been there," he said. "All that food and those goodies…" Sakura good-naturedly poked Kero. 

"You forgot that I brought you back some food," she said. "Tomoyo knows how much you love her cooking." Kero brightened and flew out of the room, making a dash to the kitchen. "Wait!" cried Sakura. "Touya will see you!" Touya poked his head in through his sister's doorway. 

"I'll see what?" he asked. 

"Nothing!" she yelled in response. Touya shrugged and left her room. Sakura got up from her bed and looked out the window. Kero was right; it was snowing. But this time, it was a light fluffy snowfall. About to leave her room, Sakura looked at two of the items on her side table. One was a charm bracelet. So far, only one charm was on it; a gold replica of her star key. This had been a present to her by Di Shang. The other object was a model of a beautifully blooming Sakura tree. Looking so realistic, this model could have passed for a real Sakura tree with paper blossoms in place of petals. A note lay next to the tree that read, "I'm sorry. Please forgive me." It was unsigned, but Sakura knew it was from Syaoran. She smiled softly. "Of course I forgive you, Syaoran." 

Downstairs, a door opened. "It's cold out there." There was a slight pause. "I'm back!" called someone. Recognizing the voice, Sakura flew out of her room and down the stairs, still in her pajamas, and reached the person before Touya. 

"Dad!" she cried, giving her father a big hug. 

Fujitaka smiled. "If this is the kind of reception I get when I'm away for long periods of time, I should go away more often," he said, hugging his daughter back. 

Touya smiled. "Welcome back, dad," he said. 

Sakura was burying her head in her father's arms. "We both missed you so much," she said. "No one could ask for a better Christmas present." Touya nodded in agreement. 

"New York is nice," said Fujitaka, ruffling Sakura's hair affectionately. "But there's nothing better than being home for Christmas with my family." 

Author's Note: I know, I know. It's more than a little late for a Christmas chapter, right? *shrugs* Oh well =). This chapter's not too cheesy/corny/silly is it? I sincerely hope not. Now here's a (very) short preview of what's to come without any spoilers; the main setting will change around the seventh or eighth chapter. I wonder where they'll all go? =) I already know, but you'll just have to wait and find out! (I don't give many hints, do I?) ^_^ Two _major_ S + ? moments will be coming up soon! (You'll have to continue reading if you'd like to find out. ^_~)

*Sakura 

~The Animé Archives Team

   [1]: mailto:taateam@hotmail.com?subject=New Cards Fan Fic



	6. Lost Memories

The New Cards  ****

The New Cards 

Lost Memories: Chapter Six

By: [Sakura][1]

"Go to sleep, Kero," ordered Sakura. 

"I almost passed this level, so let me finish it," answered Kero. He was playing another video game. Typical Kero, thought Sakura, smiling to herself. "Besides, I'm not sleepy." He ended his sentence with a wide yawn. Sakura got up and turned off the television. "Hey!" he yelled. 

"Sakura?" came a voice outside her door. "Is that you? What are you doing still up?" 

"I'm going to sleep now, Touya!" she responded, clamping her hand over Kero's mouth. Kero struggled in her grasp. Soon, he stopped struggling and slumped his shoulders in defeat. After letting go of her little guardian, Sakura leaned on her windowsill, looking out at the bright white stars twinkling at her against a dark blue backdrop. Kero flew over to her side and landed on the sill. "Kero," she said softly. "It's been more than a few months since the last time we sealed a card. What's going on? Do you think the Jiao user might have left Japan?" 

Kero shook his head. "I doubt that. I don't know what Kam Un has in mind, Sakura," he said. "But to be on the safe side, don't get overconfident. He's waiting for us to make a mistake." 

Sakura sat down on her bed and, pulling the sheets over her, looked up at the ceiling. Kero glided to the light switch and turned it off for her. "Thanks, Kero," she said. "I guess now I can have the life of a normal teenager. I don't think that would be so bad." Yawning, she added silently to herself, "I hope dad's doing okay in New York." She soon fell into a peaceful slumber. Kero settled into Sakura's desk drawer and he promptly went to sleep. 

Later in the night, as both the Card Mistress and her guardian slept, the moonlight streamed in through the window. Sakura had forgotten to close the drapes and the light poured in. A shadowy figure appeared outside the window, then suddenly, it vanished. A different figure had appeared and merged with the first one. A few seconds later, a third came and joined the other two. The three shadows, acting as one, slipped easily through the window, even though it was locked tight. The three figures then split apart and they silently watched the Card Mistress. The first shadow reached out and touched Sakura's forehead. Uniting with Sakura's body, it went to work, entering the deep reaches of her mind. The other two shadows, their job complete, silently left the room. Sakura moaned softly in her sleep as her nightmares became more vivid, but a comforting feeling in her mind soon quieted her. She went back to a peaceful sleep, undisturbed for the rest of the night. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Alarm ringing loudly, Sakura reached over and turned it off. Taking a look at her clock, Sakura realized she was going to be late again. Scrambling quickly around her room, she dressed and grabbed her bag and was downstairs in eight minutes flat. Skipping breakfast, even though Touya was telling her to take it with her, she ran outside and was well on her way to school. 

Running into the school grounds, she saw Syaoran and Di Shang. "Good morning, Sakura," called out Di Shang. Sakura looked at him strangely, but without stopping, she went straight through the yard and entered the school. The two cousins exchanged glances over the cold shoulder they'd just received and follow her into the school. Finding her at her locker, Di Shang asked, "What's going on?" 

Sakura looked at him momentarily, then, ignoring him, her focus turned back to her locker and her books. Syaoran reaches out and roughly pins her shoulders to the lockers with his hands, forcing her to drop her books with a loud clatter. "Ow!" she cried with surprise. "You're hurting me!" Syaoran and Di Shang's eyes appear troubled. 

"Sakura," said Di Shang, trying again. "What's wrong with you today?" 

Struggling to break free from Syaoran's grasp, she answered, "Nothing! Nothing is wrong!" Realizing she couldn't escape, she stopped struggling and looked from Syaoran to Di Shang. "Are you two new here or something? Why are you trying to hurt me? I don't even know you!" Syaoran let go of Sakura, an expression of shock springing to his face. She tried to leave, but Di Shang blocked her way. 

"Sakura," he said, his hazel eyes locked to her emerald eyes. "Something definitely isn't right here. Is it because of the Jiao Cards?" 

Sakura gave him a funny look. "Jiao Cards? What are those?" she asked. "A new card game?" Di Shang's heart sank. Looking at Syaoran, he could read in his cousin's eyes the same thing that was in his; somehow, Sakura had forgotten about the cards and them. It was as if they were non-existent to her. Moving aside, he let Sakura walk past him. She took that opportunity to leave and ran off. Di Shang closed her locker door for her, since she had already hurried to class. As they went to class, Syaoran walked with him in stony silence. Suddenly, he stopped. Di Shang, though deep in thought, had noticed his cousin's sudden pause, and turned to face him questioningly. 

"It's for the best," said Syaoran. "It'd be better if she did forget about the cards. Now she can lead a normal life and not have to get involved in our battles." He clenched his fists under the cover of his sleeves. "She'll be safer this way." He continued walking like he never said anything and went to class. Syaoran knew he didn't sound very convincing by the look on Di Shang's face. He had to admit he wasn't doing a good job convincing himself, either. But he had become suspicious at her sudden loss of memory. They had both talked to her just yesterday and she was fine then. What happened between those times? 

For the whole duration of the morning classes, Di Shang watched Sakura out of the corner of his eye. "Strange," he thought. "She appears to be perfectly fine. She just talks with her friends as she normally does. All her friends except us, that is." He noted she didn't talk to Chi Yuen, like she normally did, either. "What's going on here?" 

~*~*~*~*~*~

After school that day, Sakura was chatting and laughing with her friends as they left the school building. Suddenly, the smile and laughter left Sakura's face as something in her mind disappeared and she fainted. "Sakura!" cried her friends, Chiharu catching her before she fell. They all gathered around her, worried. 

"I feel so…odd today," thought Sakura numbly. "What is wrong with me?" Sakura forced her eyelids to open and blinked several times, her eyes adjusting to the light. Naoko nodded to the others. 

"She's okay!" she said. Chiharu helped Sakura sit up, a relieved smile on her face. 

"What happened, Sakura?" asked Rika. "You just stopped walking and fainted." 

Sakura looked around her, completely confused. "Who are these people?" she thought. "What do they want from me?" She slowly stood up, backing away from them. "Who…who are you?" she asked aloud. 

Chiharu looked at her with surprise. "It's me, Chiharu. Sakura, what's wrong?" Sakura continued to move away from them. She didn't know why, but tears were forming in her eyes. 

"I don't know any of you," she said, her voice barely a whisper. When Naoko took a step toward her, she cried out, "Leave me alone!" Naoko stopped, stunned. After taking a long look at each of the three faces near her, Sakura held her head in her hands, tears falling. "I feel like I should know who they are," she thought wildly. "So why can't I remember?" Sakura took one last look at them. Then, without warning, she turned on her heels and fled, tears trailing after her. Chiharu, Rika, and Naoko exchanged uneasy glances. A short distance away, Syaoran and Di Shang jumped off the branch they had been sitting on and followed Sakura, unseen by anyone. 

Sakura continued running, not watching where she was going. When the tears finally stopped, so did she. Looking around her, she felt that her surroundings were somewhat familiar to her and yet, at the same time, they were not. Her fast pace had slackened and she was walking very slowly. "Where am I?" she thought, still looking about her. "I think I'm lost…" She stopped at a street corner, unsure of whether or not she should cross the street. "I want to go home," whispered Sakura. "Only…I don't know where home is…" 

Completely exhausted from his day at school, Touya was on his way home when he saw Sakura. She was standing completely still, her face uplifted, as if she were trying to read the sign indicating the name of the street. "Sakura!" he called. His sibling didn't turn around. "Is she trying to play a game?" thought Touya. He ran up to her. "Sakura," he said again. Sakura didn't answer. She didn't even look at him. 

"Sakura…Sakura…" she repeated to herself. "Is that someone's name?" 

Touya was getting annoyed at being snubbed by his own sister. "Come on," he said, thoroughly irritated. "Let's go home." 

"…home…" whispered Sakura. Abruptly, a white flash seared through Sakura's mind. "Aah!" she cried out in pain. She closed her eyelids and fell to the ground. 

"Sakura!" cried Touya with shock. He picked her up and carried her home, running all the way. As soon as he made it home, he put her in bed immediately. She was still unconscious as he placed his hand on her forehead. "She's burning up," he said aloud, to no one in particular. He left the room, but returned a second later with a wet cloth. Folding it, he placed it on Sakura's forehead. He sat by her side, watching her vigilantly for the entire afternoon. It was well past six now and she still hadn't woken up. "See what happens when you don't eat your breakfast, Sakura?" he said. Touya glanced at his watch. Yukito was stopping by that night and he was due at any moment. As if reading his thoughts, the doorbell rang. Touya got up, though rather hesitantly, and left her room. 

Sakura moaned silently as a deep pain ebbed in her mind. It was getting stronger by the second and hurting her physically, but internally, not externally. It was destroying her mind…or part of it. Suddenly, another flash went through her mind, but it was different. This one didn't hurt. Instead, it implied danger. Moving like a zombie, Sakura got up and walked to the window, opening it. Kero was now up and about at this time. "Sakura!" he cried. She just continued gazing out the window, not saying a word. "Let's get going! There's another Jiao Card to seal!" Not wasting another second, Kero transformed and pushed Sakura onto his back. Leaping out the window, he was instantly joined by Syaoran and Di Shang. Both were still dressed in their school uniforms but they had their swords strapped to their backs. 

"It's the Oceanid Card, Cerberus," Di Shang informed the guardian. Cerberus nodded and immediately flew in the direction he could feel a strong power generating, with Di Shang and Syaoran in hot pursuit. All the while, Sakura clung tightly to Cerberus' mane, afraid of letting go. 

"What am I doing here?" she thought. "This has to be some kind of a dream. I mean, there is no such thing as a winged lion…right?" Sakura's eyes scanned over the buildings and cars directly under her. They looked so small. Her grip around Cerberus tightened. When she shifted her gaze ahead of her, she gasped. "The beach! What are we doing here?" She studied the waves breaking against the shore. Something was wrong. Even in her far-gone state, she could still tell there was something up with the waves. They were much stronger and forceful than usual. They rose high up, then crashed back down again. 

Upon reaching the beach, Syaoran and Di Shang sprang ahead, while Cerberus landed on the sand. Sakura refused to budge even though her surroundings provided a familiar air. Syaoran remembered coming to this particular beach three years ago, on a field trip. It has been on that trip that Sakura had sealed the Erase Card. Glancing at her now, he could see she was in no condition to seal any cards, much less use them. He and Di Shang were on their own. But, then again, that was what he had wanted. She wouldn't have to get hurt now, battling Jiao Cards. Looking over at Di Shang, his cousin nodded, and both of them drew their swords at the same time, calling out for the forces of lightning. The lightning, combined together, shot toward the waters in an electrifying motion. This shock forced The Oceanid to appear in its visible form. Obviously, it was angry. 

The Oceanid Card began sending cutting waves at the two Card Captors. They both dodged the waters as best as they could, using lightning every time the Jiao Card paused. But this certain card was fast and rarely, if ever, stopped moving. After a good ten minutes, Syaoran and Di Shang were soaked from head to toe. Because they were all wet, they could no longer use lightning without endangering themselves. The problem was that they had no other way to attack the Oceanid Card, who seemed to be nothing more than an equivalent to the Watery Card. It continually shot out attacks at them, non-stop. The force of the water was hard and sharp, and after the boys received multiple cuts from the spray, the salty water only served to sting their wounds further. The card then took one swift blast at them, strong enough to knock both Card Captors into the rock face. Di Shang cried out in pain as his head and back impacted the rock and he slumped forward, unconscious. The Oceanid sat back on a wave of water, grinning triumphantly. All the while, Sakura watched them with fear gnawing at her mind. 

Cerberus gently nudged the Card Mistress off his back. Spreading his wings, he flew at The Oceanid, and even though he knew it was useless, he shot balls of fire at it. The Oceanid Card extinguished them easily with its water. The card then did the same thing it had done to the Li cousins; rearing back, it shot a sharp blast of water at Cerberus. The water struck him hard, forcing him away. He fell and landed heavily on Syaoran, unmoving. Cerberus, energy lost, changed back to little Kero. 

Syaoran painfully pulled himself up and pushed Kero off his back. He then lurched himself forward on the soft sand. Not paying much attention to his movements, he tripped and fell. Gritting his teeth, he pulled himself up again and dragged himself toward Sakura. Sakura just watched him, fright plain to be seen in her clouded emerald eyes. Sakura backed away from Syaoran as he continued his approach, until the rock face cut her off. She turned and faced him with fear. "Sakura," he said hoarsely. "We need your help. You have to use your Sakura Cards." 

"Sakura Cards?" whispered Sakura. Unexpectedly, flashbacks came to mind. Finding the Clow Book and meeting Kero; capturing the cards and the arrival of Syaoran; the final judgement by Yue; changing the Clow Cards to Sakura Cards…They were all memories locked within her mind. Suddenly, something attacked that portion of her memory and everything became distorted. The thoughts in her mind terrified her. Every memory changed. Her meeting with Kero had been something forced upon her to ruin her life; her rival Syaoran was only out to hurt her; Yue wanted to finish her off; she was not strong enough to change Clow Cards to Sakura Cards…"No!" she screamed. "I don't want that kind of life!" 

Syaoran stepped forward and grabbed Sakura by the shoulders, shaking her almost violently. "Sakura!" he yelled angrily. "Snap out of it! You have to remember who you are! And what your mission is! Stop acting like you don't know what's what!" Tears welled up in Sakura's eyes and she broke down, crying. 

"I…hate…this…" she said in between sobs. "I want to…remember, but…I just can't!" Syaoran stopped shaking Sakura, but he still gripped her shoulders, holding her at arms length. "I…feel so helpless…and frightened…I hate being alone…Why can't I remember who I am?" She continued crying fervently. Feeling badly for her, Syaoran pulled Sakura toward him and held her close to him. As he held her close, Sakura's tears ceased falling. She felt very strange. Though she couldn't remember who this boy was, when Sakura was near Syaoran, she usually felt calmer. Syaoran was holding her in a warm embrace and Sakura, her head leaning against his left shoulder, could hear his heart beating fast. Hers was beating quickly as well. 

"You…" he began in a whisper. "You are Kinomoto Sakura, the Mistress of the Sakura Cards. Only in your hands lies the power to save the world from the destructive Jiao Cards. And…" Syaoran trailed off for a moment. Then, his voice dropping to a half-whisper, he said, "You're the keeper of my heart." Sakura's eyes were still filled with tears and her mind held a jumble of memories, some true, others false. She lifted her emerald-green eyes to meet Syaoran's warm amber ones. Deep inside those emerald eyes he loved, Syaoran could see a small spark of recognition. Not being able to wait any longer, Syaoran lowered his head and his lips lightly brush Sakura's. Sakura's eyes widened, but she closed them immediately, the tears held in her eyes released, and now slowly streaming down her cheek. This gesture of shared love did something neither Card Captors expected. The darkness within Sakura's mind was shattered the moment Syaoran kissed her and her true memories resurfaced. 

A bright flash of light ensued and Syaoran was pushed away from Sakura and flung hard into the rock face again. He slammed into it and then collapsed onto the ground. "Syaoran!" cried Sakura, running toward him. Suddenly, a shadow flew over and blocked her path. Sakura's eyes blinked wide as she stared at the figure in front of her. She shielded her eyes as another flash emitted from the figure but she couldn't stop it from passing through her mind. The memory of her first kiss disappeared from her memory, as well as from Syaoran's, for remembering their expressed love could destroy the Jiao user. As soon as the light faded, Sakura transformed her key into the star staff. Though she had forgotten the kiss, she now remembered the memories in her mind that the Jiao Card had erased, including the events of that very day. She knew exactly which card this was. "Forget Card!" she cried. "Return to your power confined!" The Forget changed to its card form, landing in the palm of her hand. As she touched the newly sealed card, it became a Sakura Card, familiar pink borders running along the edges. 

When Sakura was occupied with her new card, The Oceanid took this chance to attack. But Sakura hadn't forgotten about this card yet. Taking out The Freeze and The Ice, she commanded, "Freeze and Ice Cards! Stop the Oceanid by freezing it into a box of ice!" Working together, The Freeze froze the Oceanid Card while The Ice trapped it. In no time, The Oceanid was nothing more than a block of ice. Walking up to the part where the frozen waters met the beach, Sakura sealed the Oceanid Card; and both The Freeze and The Ice returned to their card forms. As well, the waters returned to normal and were now gently lapping the shoreline. Smiling happily, and rather tired, Sakura put her cards away. Hearing a noise behind her, she turned around and saw Syaoran with Di Shang. Syaoran was helping his cousin stand up. Di Shang had taken a nasty hit when he struck the rock face and only now was he waking up. He was feeling dizzy and rather unsteady on his feet, so Syaoran lent an arm to him. Kero was also up now, rubbing his forehead. Seeing Sakura, the little guardian flew to her. Sakura wrapped her arms around Kero in a big hug. 

"I'm so glad you're okay, Kero," she said. "I was worried about you for a moment there." 

Kero smiled. "No man or card can get rid of me that easily," he said. 

"I can." 

Looking toward the direction of the voice, Sakura and Kero saw Syaoran helping Di Shang walk toward them. Kero glared at Syaoran angrily. "What are you saying, kid?" he demanded. "Do _you_ think you can defeat me?" 

Syaoran shrugged. "It's not hard when you know how," he said indifferently. Kero growled. Syaoran let go of Di Shang and he and Kero took a step away from the group. They glared at each other, lightning zapping between their eyes, their fists clenched. Sakura ran between both of them, lightly pushing them away from each other. 

"Please don't fight," she begged. "I think we've all had enough for one night." Syaoran and Kero glowered at each for a second longer, then both turned around with a loud "humph!" and their arms crossed. Sakura sweatdropped and sighed, then turned to Di Shang. "Are you all right, Di Shang?" she asked with concern. "You took a pretty serious hit back there." Di Shang nodded, forcing a false smile on his face. 

"Don't worry about me," he said. "I'll live." He studied her for a moment. "I'm glad you're back to your usual self, Sakura," he said finally, smiling genuinely. 

Sakura smiled in return. "Let's get you back home," she said. "With a little rest, you'll be back on your feet in no time." Turning to Kero and Syaoran she added, "All right with the both of you?" Kero and Syaoran muttered their agreement and they all left the beach, each oblivious to the fact that they had left something important behind… 

Some of their memories… 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Sakura! Wait up!" 

Sakura stopped walking and turned around, seeing Syaoran trying to catch up to her. "Hi, Syaoran," she said. She studied his expression. "What's wrong?" she asked him. Syaoran's eyes were filled with worry. 

"Di Shang is missing," he answered. 

"Missing?" exclaimed Sakura, shocked. "Are you sure about that?" Syaoran nodded. 

"He was supposed to meet me right after school so we could train," he told her. "Seeing how it's Friday. But then he said he'd be right back and left. I haven't seen him then. Di Shang always keeps his word. I don't know what could have happened to him." Syaoran clenched his fists, frustrated. "And the worst thing is that I can't even sense his aura anymore! Usually, I can pick it up almost anywhere, no matter how far away he is. But this time…nothing. Nothing whatsoever…" 

"Let's try looking for him first, before we start worrying," suggested Sakura. "Do you want to take the east side of Tomoeda or the west?" 

"I'll take the west," said Syaoran. He looked at his watch. It read 5:24 pm. "Let's meet at your place at seven tonight, okay?" Sakura nodded. 

"Be extra careful, Syaoran," she said. "If he really is missing, then Kam Un has to have something to do with this, and that means this could be a trap." 

"Don't worry," Syaoran replied. "I'll be fine." Both Card Captors turned and left in separate directions. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Where do you think you're going, Card Mistress?" asked her guardian. 

Sakura was in the midst of climbing out the window in her room, but she turned around and faced Yue and Cerberus. "Yue," she said with surprise. "When did you get here?" 

Yukito had stopped by the Kinomoto Residence because he and Touya were going to study together for a big test coming up. Touya hadn't returned from work yet so Yukito had been allowed entrance to their home by Kero. Sakura was in her bedroom, having persuaded Kero to leave by telling him about some sweets she left for him in the kitchen. After mentioning that, Kero was gone in a flash. Both guardians, sensing something unusual, decided to play it safe by changing to their true forms. They then went to check on Sakura and make sure she was still safe. As they opened her bedroom door, they found Sakura had changed into her battle costume and was in the process of leaving through the window. 

Yue folded his arms. "Answer my question," he said impassively. "And get away from the window." Sakura sighed and signalled to someone outside the window. She stepped off the windowsill and faced her guardians. A second later, Syaoran appeared by the window, holding onto the frame. He appeared to be aggravated at that moment. 

"Di Shang's missing, Yue," explained Sakura. "We were just going to go look for him." 

Raising an eyebrow, Cerberus said, "Without telling us?" Sakura didn't answer him. "Sakura! We're your guardians. You have to tell us where you're going to be." He eyed Syaoran suspiciously. "Especially if you're going to be with him," he added, tacking on the word _him_ with pointed emphasis. 

"Besides," said Yue. "Kam Un's still out there. You're his main target at this moment. You have quite a few of his cards and I don't doubt he wants them back. He will do anything to get them back, including taking your life." 

Sakura cringed slightly at the thought and then nodded. "I know that," she said resolutely. "But I don't want to have to depend on you. You're always hurting yourselves to protect me and I don't want anything to happen to either of you." 

"So you're saying you'd rather place more trust on Syaoran than us?" demanded Cerberus. Sakura shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other, her gaze on the ground. 

"Look," said Syaoran quietly, speaking for the first time. "I told her not to mention where we're going to you. This is my fault, not hers. Besides, this is bound to be a trap set up by Kam Un and if too many of us are present at that time, chaos could break out and he could threaten either one of you to get to her." 

Cerberus lunged at Syaoran, claws extended, but Syaoran deftly moved out of the way and just in time, too. A low growl was in his throat. "You're just ready to sacrifice her life, aren't you?" he said angrily. 

"I didn't say that!" snapped Syaoran. "I don't want her hurt any more than you do! But she's the only person I can bring with me!" Both Cerberus and Syaoran glared daggers at each other. 

Sakura looked away from the endless duel between the pair. "Please," she said, pleading with Yue. "I have to do this. For our friend, Di Shang. We have to find him and make sure he's safe. I don't know what I'd do if anything ever happened to him." For a moment, all was quiet as all present turned to Yue to hear his decision. Syaoran's face held a mask of indifference, though inside, he was nearly fuming with jealousy. He didn't understand why Sakura's concern for his cousin made him jealous. Yue didn't answer right away, but, finally, he nodded. Sakura hugged him thankfully and Cerberus, too. Syaoran was already outside the window, standing on a tree branch. Before she left, Sakura added, "Yue, no matter how long we may take, stall Touya, okay? He'll be angry if he finds out what I'm doing." Yue nodded again and Sakura left with Syaoran. 

Yue changed back to his false form and looked at Kero, who had also transformed. "Do you know how to stall him?" asked Yukito. 

Kero stroked his chin thoughtfully. Then smiling brightly, he said, "I know! Get him to play video games! I have this great game lying around somewhere and…" 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Sakura struggled to catch up to Syaoran for he was going at an incredibly fast pace. "Slow down, Syaoran," she called to him. Syaoran did, but not because she had told him to, but because they had reached their destination; an old building. Sakura studied the building. It was about three stories high and covered half the block. Looking through the windows, no light was visible anywhere. Except, that is, for a small candle, flickering wildly by the window. A shadowy figure stood by the candle, but as Syaoran's eyes swept by that side of the house, the figure vanished. Sakura turned to Syaoran. "Why here?" she asked. 

"It's because I sense a strange power here," answered Syaoran, his eyes scanning for an entrance. Spotting one on the side, he led Sakura there and kicked the door open. The door swung open and hit the wall with a bang. He cautiously stepped in, with Sakura behind him. There was nothing in front of them except for a lone hallway. As they continued walking, the door slammed itself shut behind them. Sakura immediately turned around and tried to open it, but the door wouldn't budge an inch. Turning around again, Sakura realized she couldn't see a thing. It was completely pitch-black inside in the hallway. 

"Syaoran?" she called out softly. Syaoran's hand found its way to hers and he squeezed her hand gently. 

"I'm right here, Sakura," he said, in a reassuring tone. "I won't let anything hurt you. That's a promise." Sakura nodded, even though she knew he couldn't see her. Using her star staff, she released the Glow Card. As the tiny hallway lit up from the small source of light, Sakura smiled, reassured to see Syaoran's face. Syaoran smiled back, but he didn't let go of her hand. They continued walking down the hallway. Suddenly, they found themselves at a dead end. "Strange…" thought Sakura. 

Before either Syaoran or Sakura had time to react, the floor opened up underneath them and they fell in, the hole swallowing up the two Card Captors. 

Author's Note: *weeps softly in the corner* This chapter did **_not_** (note the emphasis? ^_^) go the way I had originally intended! Oh, well…*sighs and wipes tears away* …So…how was it? This chapter contained one of the S + ? moments I mentioned. Obviously, it was S + S. I'd like to know your opinion on this chapter (and the others), so feel free to [e-mail me][1] anytime. Anyway, it's about 2 am now so I think I'm going to go to sleep. Good night!

*Sakura  
~The Animé Archives Team

   [1]: mailto:taateam@hotmail.com?subject=New Cards Fan Fic



	7. No Longer a Dream

The New Cards 

**The New Cards **

No Longer a Dream: Chapter Seven 

By: [][1]Sakura

After what seemed like hours, Syaoran sat up, rubbing his head. "What the heck happened?" he thought. Looking around, he found he was unable to see anything. There wasn't a single light anywhere. His hands touched the floor. It felt smooth, and cold under his touch. Taking out a charm, he lighted it with a little flame and held it up. Sakura was lying on his right, apparently asleep. But after a few moments, she stirred, her eyelids slowly fluttering open. She also sat up and looked around, catching Syaoran watching her. His face turned crimson and he immediately averted his gaze. Sakura looked at him questioningly, having missed the blush. Syaoran stood up, dusting himself off. Without facing Sakura, he asked, "Are you all right?" 

Sakura got up, following suit. "I'm fine," she answered softly. She hated it when Syaoran gave her a cold shoulder. It hurt…With only a lit charm for light, Syaoran slowly made his way around the room. Sakura stayed close to his side, not liking the darkness or the silence. As her eyes wandered around the room, she caught sight of another source of light to her far left. It seemed she and Syaoran weren't the only occupants in that room. Suddenly, the light from Syaoran's charm flickered out, but the other light was silently approaching them. "Syaoran?" whispered Sakura. 

"I'm right here," he said reassuringly again. Syaoran once again held her hand in his while they both stayed close together in the dark room. As the other light drew near, a figure clothed in blue Chinese ceremonial robes appeared before the Card Captors. It was Di Shang. 

"Di Shang!" cried Sakura, immediately recognizing her friend. She went to his side. "We were both so worried about you," she said, looking up at him. 

"Both?" spoke Di Shang quietly. 

Syaoran stepped forward. "What are you doing here?" he demanded angrily. "We wasted a lot of time searching for you. Let's get going." He turned to leave. 

"You seem to be forgetting something, Syaoran," said Di Shang in a deadly calm tone. Di Shang thrust the candle he was holding into Sakura's hands and strode toward his cousin. Sakura looked at the candle, then back at her friend, confusion etched on her face. 

Syaoran turned around, scowling. "What now?" he asked. 

Di Shang stopped a foot away from him. "There's no way out," he answered. Di Shang unsheathed his sword quickly, the tip gleaming in the dim light. He made a downward slash at Syaoran, slicing the sleeve of his green robes, nearly cutting his arm. Syaoran jumped back, drawing his own sword at the same time. As Syaoran backed away, a fist flew out and knocked him down, his sword flying out of his grasp and across the room. Di Shang dug his foot into his cousin's chest and Syaoran was unable to get up. He then smiled. "To get anywhere," he said. "You have to defeat me." He poised his sword for a moment and, in seconds, swiftly brought the blade down. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"What is he doing?" thought Sakura as she watched Di Shang hit Syaoran. "Why is he trying to hurt him?" It dawned to her that she had seen this scene somewhere before…in her dreams! Everything happening before her eyes was exactly as it was in her reoccurring nightmares! Taking action, Sakura transformed her star key, at the same time, taking out the Sword Card and releasing it. Her staff changed into a long, slender sword. She knew she wasn't as good with her sword as Syaoran and Di Shang were with theirs, but she had to at least try. "Please guide me," she whispered to her sword. She turned just in time to see Di Shang pin Syaoran to the ground, his broadsword in the air, ready to strike him. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Syaoran, eyes shut and still unable to do anything besides attempt to struggle out of his cousin's hold, prepared to feel his cousin's blade pierce him. But instead of feeling any pain as he supposed, Syaoran heard a loud _clang_ as blades crossed. Opening his eyes, he saw another sword blocking Di Shang's. The other sword had a long, smooth blade. It was Sakura who blocked it. 

"Stop it, Di Shang!" she cried. "Don't hurt Syaoran!" Di Shang turned his attention to Sakura. Using his broadsword, obviously the heavier of the two, he clashed his sword against hers. Sakura pushed against his sword with hers, but he was more powerful and had better control. Roughly, he pushed her to the ground, her sword dropping to her side and changing back to the star staff. Sakura sat up slowly, a dazed expression on her face. 

"Don't interfere," warned Di Shang darkly. Sakura looked up into his hazel eyes, eyes usually filled with warmth and laughter, but now completely dull and blank. 

"It's like my dream…" thought Syaoran as he watched them. "Slightly different, but nonetheless, it's the same." With Di Shang's attention elsewhere, Syaoran stood up, moving unnoticed. "But every time, I never get to the end of my dream, so who's left standing?" Before Syaoran could move any further, Di Shang flew at him, sword in front. Syaoran rolled away and the sword sliced through nothing but empty air. Finding himself by his sword, Syaoran quickly retrieved it and hastily blocked Di Shang's next attack. He gritted his teeth as both boys pushed, determined to beat the other. Syaoran's eyes darted for a quick glance and noticed Di Shang had left one opening for him. Using one leg, Syaoran swept Di Shang off his feet and he fell heavily. Syaoran got up for a second, only to be slammed into the wall. Di Shang stuck again, but Syaoran catching the movement, got out of the way, escaping with a few cuts. His cousin began slashing at Syaoran relentlessly, pieces of the outer robe of his clothes lying in shreds on the ground, his creamy shirt showing through. 

Sakura sat helpless as Di Shang hammered away at Syaoran. He was physically stronger than she was and there was no way she could attack him like that. The Sword Card was useless now. What she still couldn't understand was why Di Shang was attacking Syaoran. Rivals, they may be, but they were still family. "He has to be controlled somehow…" she thought. "There's no other explanation. It has to be a Jiao Card…but which one?" 

Holding his left arm, for it had been badly wounded, Syaoran tried dodging Di Shang's attacks because he could no longer counteract them, but to no avail. He dropped to the ground, his face scraping the floor as he hit it, eyelids closing. His sword lay by his side. Di Shang loomed overhead, his eyes nothing more than an ocean of darkness, his mouth curving into a smirk of victory. With his sword in hand, he gripped it tight, ready to make one final stroke. "Syaoran!" cried Sakura. Her eyes closed for a moment, tears filling them. This was too much! She wasn't going to let Di Shang kill his own cousin. Opening them, she pulled out a card and commanded, "Veil Card! Create a mist-like curtain, blocking Di Shang's view! Release!" The Veil flew out swiftly, wrapping the room in a deep mist, screening Di Shang's sight. In vain, Di Shang tried to sweep away the mist, but it never left. When it finally cleared, Syaoran was no longer there, but instead, Sakura stood in his place, staff in hand, a look of determination on her face. Di Shang watched her coolly. 

"Di Shang," she said softly. "I don't know why you're attacking us. We're your friends. Don't you know that?" Di Shang didn't respond; his eyes emotionless. Somehow, Sakura had to make her words penetrate through his mind. "Mirror Card," she called out. "Show Di Shang who his true self is and who his real enemies are." The Mirror Card appeared directly in front of Di Shang, mirror in hand. As Di Shang gazed into his own image, he dropped his sword. He could plainly see two figures in the mirror. Physically, each looked exactly like him. But emotionally…that was another story. One was smiling, eyes filled with warmth and happiness. The other had eyes that were dull and blank, a cold smirk on his face. Both figures held a broadsword: one using it to defend; the other stained with blood. Which was his true self? The expression on Di Shang's face changed from one of indifference to one of total confusion. 

With Di Shang preoccupied, Sakura knelt on the ground, checking on Syaoran. He was still unconscious and the wound on his arm was bleeding pretty badly. Sakura took a few pieces of cloth lying on the ground and gently cleaned the cut and bandaged it. She gazed sadly at him and hoped that everything would turn out all right. She stood up and turned around, looking at Di Shang. Di Shang was still looking into the mirror. Then slowly - and unsteadily - Di Shang reached out with one hand. The image of darkness beckoned to him consistently and was very hard for him to ignore. But as Di Shang's eyes left the mirror for an instant, they met Sakura's clear emerald eyes, filled with hope. His hand touched the side of light. A shadow left him as he did, hovering above him. The Mirror, its task complete, returned to its card form. Sakura ran and caught Di Shang as he collapsed. 

Looking up at the Card Mistress, he briefly said with a small smile, "Thank you, Sakura." Sakura smiled back, happy he was all right. Di Shang closed his eyes, yet he did not fade into unconsciousness. The shadow hovered above for another moment, looking for another host. Spotting a green-robed boy a few metres away, it flew toward him and entered his body. Syaoran's eyes opened and he stood up, his amber eyes containing a dullness that was not there before. His hand held his sword, having picked it up a moment before. He slowly approached Sakura from behind. Sakura gently lay Di Shang against the wall. He needed the rest. As she got up, she heard footfalls behind her. When she turned, a sword slashed down at her. Caught completely off guard, the sword neatly clipped Sakura's robes' right sleeve and it fell to the ground. She moved away from Di Shang so he wouldn't get hurt and backed away from Syaoran. 

"Syaoran, what's the matter?" asked Sakura. When she looked into Syaoran's eyes, she realized that whatever was controlling Di Shang before now had Syaoran under control. Sakura found herself against a wall with nowhere to run. As she looked back, Syaoran was approaching her with his sword, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "Syaoran," she said pleadingly, trying again to reach him. "It's me, Sakura. You have to fight whatever is controlling you. Don't let it take possession of you." Syaoran paused for a moment, confused. But then the confusion disintegrated and he lunged at her. His hand held her shoulder roughly against the wall. Sakura struggled vainly to break his grasp. Taking a dagger out, Syaoran used it to pin Sakura's robes to the wall then he stepped back. Sakura tried freeing her arm to reach her cards, but the dagger held fast. 

"Card Mistress," whispered Syaoran fiercely. "Don't even think for a moment that you can escape easily. Di Shang may have been unsuccessful in destroying a Card Captor, but I will not be so unfortunate." His blade came down swiftly again, but Sakura ducked her head down and it sliced off another part of her sleeve. Luckily for her, it separated the area of her sleeve caught by the dagger and she was free. As she tried to run, Syaoran quickly grasped her wrist and wouldn't let her go. Sakura cried out with pain as he twisted it behind her. "Leaving so soon?" he hissed into her ear. The blankness in his eyes turned to anger. "You can't defeat me as easily as you have my cousin." He roughly shoved her to the ground. 

Sakura slowly got up, ignoring the flaming pain going through her body, for the one in her heart hurt the most. "Syaoran…" she whispered. A Jiao Card was responsible for this and she had to free him from it. She was the only one who could do it. Di Shang was too weak to fight now, most of his energy spent on his earlier battle. As she stood, she was knocked down again, this time pinned to the ground, for Syaoran placed his foot firmly on her shoulder, painfully applying pressure. Sakura's arms and legs were covered with cuts and bruises; her battle costume nearly torn to shreds; but her spirit was the worst of all. Her eyes filled with tears as she thought of how someone so dear to her would try to take her life away. She never thought that Syaoran, of all people, would be that person. 

The tears in her eyes trickled down her cheeks. "Please don't, Syaoran," whispered Sakura. Syaoran paused, staring at her for a moment. Why was he hesitating? What was holding him back? He backed away, his head in his hands. Thoughts whirled out of control in his mind. One telling him to finish what he started; the other telling him what he was doing was wrong. Syaoran dropped to his knees, unsure of what to do. Sakura painfully pulled herself up. She felt so tired; she just wanted to give in to the merciful darkness of sleep. But she couldn't do that. Not with Syaoran being possessed…Wait! Her eyes snapped opened. He's being possessed…Di Shang was possessed earlier as well! "It has to be the Possess Card…" she thought. "That is, if there is such a card." 

Walking slowly toward Syaoran, Sakura held her star staff in front of her, though rather unsteadily. Her arms were shaking slightly and her vision blurred at intervals. Syaoran, sensing her aura and her approach, looked up, eyes darkened. He lifted his sword up to the air. Sakura's eyes widened at this motion. Suddenly, a charm, lit with fire, flew and attached itself to his sleeve. Di Shang, eyes open again, had thrown a charm at his cousin, as a distraction for Sakura. Syaoran felt the flame touch his skin and dropped his sword, trying to smother the small fire. As he was doing so, Sakura stepped forward. "Possess Card!" she cried. "Return to your power confined!" The shadow was swiftly being sucked out of Syaoran's body and encased into its card form. Syaoran dropped to his knees and hit the ground. Sakura picked up her newly sealed card and felt the last of her energy leaving her and entering the card, transforming it. While thinking she would never use this card, she grew faint and collapsed onto the ground, next to Syaoran. 

All was finally silent and at rest as the one lone candle brought by Di Shang continued to burn. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Syaoran sat up on the cold cement floor for the second time that night, his energy spent, his body bruised. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he found Sakura by his side. Her appearance shocked him. Cuts and bruises covered her arms and legs; the sleeve of her battle costume had been neatly sliced off; aside from that, her other robes had been slashed in various places, even torn and ripped, and the white shirt underneath peeked through those openings. There was a small gash on her forehead and her hair was askew, the ribbons no longer holding them in place. "What happened?" whispered Syaoran. 

Di Shang, silently gathering his energy, got up from where he had been resting and approached his cousin. "You happened," he answered. Syaoran turned and glared at Di Shang, blocking him from reaching Sakura, at the same time drawing his sword. "Put it away," said Di Shang. "Neither you nor I are being controlled by the Possess Card now." 

"Possess Card?" 

Di Shang picked up the Possess Card from the ground and held it up for Syaoran to see. Syaoran sheathed his sword and took the card, staring at it. "The Possess had us both under its control," said Di Shang. "But not at the same time. The Possess made me attack you. After it left me, it entered you and forced you to attack Sakura." Di Shang checked for Sakura's pulse and breathed a sigh of relief when he found it. "She's just used up most of her energy. Once replenished, she'll be fine." 

Syaoran dropped the new Sakura Card like a hot stone. Di Shang caught it and looked at him questioningly. Syaoran had bent down and gathered Sakura into his arms, holding her close to him. Standing up, he picked her up and carried her, her head resting gently against his shoulder. Distress was plain to be seen in Syaoran's eyes. It was his fault Sakura was like that. If he had been stronger and not let The Possess control him…As if reading his thoughts, Di Shang said, "It's not your fault, Syaoran. No one could escape its power unassisted." Syaoran didn't answer him, and his words didn't affect him in the least. 

After looking around, Syaoran asked, "Do you know the way out of here?" Di Shang nodded and led his friends out of the room. 

A moment after their departure, Kam Un appeared in the shadows, surveying the room. "Typical Card Captors," he said aloud with disgust, to no one in particular. The room was littered with pieces of blue, green, and pink clothing, splintered wood from the walls, and blood, which stained the floor in various places. "Always leaving behind a mess for others to clean up." 

~*~*~*~*~*~

The faint rays from the sun peeked into a little room. Sakura's eyes slowly fluttered open. She stared at the white ceiling above her. "Where am I?" she thought drowsily. She sat up and stretched, rubbing her eyes, then doubled over in pain for her body felt bruised all over. As she looked around, Sakura found herself in unfamiliar surroundings. She had been sleeping on a bed and was obviously in someone's bedroom. A desk sat on the opposite wall, scrolls placed neatly on one side, school textbooks on another. By it was the window, light streaming in as the sun rose into the sky. Touching her head, Sakura found a little bandage wrapped around it. She was only wearing the white button-down shirt and shorts of her battle costume. The pink outer robes were folded and placed on the chair at the desk, missing one sleeve, filled with holes and touches of dry blood. The door to the room opened and Sakura looked to see who it was. 

Di Shang walked in, carrying a small tray with food. He smiled at her. "How are you feeling, Sakura?" he asked her, setting the tray down on the desk and sitting on a chair by the bedside. 

Sakura smiled back wanly. "I just feel sore all over," she answered. "Where am I?" 

"Syaoran's room," replied Di Shang. At her confused look, Di Shang continued. "We couldn't take you home," he explained. "Not in the state you were in. Syaoran insisted we bring you here and let you stay until you were better." Di Shang took her hands in his. Sakura looked away for a moment, a slight blush creeping up her cheeks. "I was so worried about you. Some of the more malevolent Jiao Cards tend to use up more energy in sealing and changing. Yet, oddly enough, they take very little energy to use." He gently caressed her cheek, the blush on Sakura's face turning a deeper pink. Hearing someone at the door, Di Shang released her hands and stood up. Syaoran was standing there, a scowl on his face. "Don't worry," said Di Shang coldly. "I won't trespass in your room any longer than need be." He walked out the door, Syaoran glaring after him. As Syaoran turned around, his expression softened as he saw Sakura. 

He silently walked to a corner in his room and took out a small foldout table. Unfolding it, he placed it by the bedside and transferred the tray on his desk to the table. The food prepared on the tray was a small bowl of congee, with some diced meat and vegetables mixed in. Sakura could feel her stomach growling as she looked at the food. Syaoran sat down on the chair and began to stir it with a spoon, cooling it down. "I'm sorry, Sakura," he said after a while, his eyes focused entirely on the congee. Before Sakura could answer, Syaoran placed a spoonful of the soup-like food into her mouth. 

Chewing thoughtfully, she swallowed it and smiled gratefully. "Thank you," she said. "It's really good." Syaoran nodded brusquely. 

"I just thought you might be hungry," was his only reply. After Sakura finished her meal, Syaoran took the tray and the empty bowl and left the room. Sakura pulled her legs up to her chest and rested her head on her knees. It was early morning. Apparently, she had spent the entire night there, but she shouldn't stay longer than needed. She had a feeling that Syaoran thought of her more as a burden than anything else. Lightly swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, Sakura pushed herself up. Without realizing it, her legs had not regained full strength, and Sakura staggered unsteadily for a moment before toppling over. Luckily for her, Syaoran had chosen to re-enter the room at that same moment and caught her before she fell. 

"Sakura," he said in a scolding tone. "You're not strong enough yet. You still need more rest." Sakura nodded briefly and Syaoran helped her back into the bed. He himself sat back down in the chair. They both sat in silence, neither speaking to the other. Sakura was staring at the wall beside her, unsure of what to say. Syaoran sat with arms folded, looking out the window. The expression on his face was one of boredom, but deep down, he was really worried about Sakura. 

After a few moments, Sakura could stand it no longer. "Syaoran," she said in a strained voice, as if holding back tears. "It's obvious that I'm nothing more than a bother to you. Just let me go home and I'll be out of your way." 

Syaoran stood up abruptly at her words, his arms at his side, his expression turned to anger, but to himself. "No way," he said. "It's my fault you got hurt and I'm not letting you go until you're better." 

"But, Syaoran," replied Sakura. "It wasn't your fault. You were just under the control of the Possess Card." Syaoran didn't answer her. "I don't blame you, so why do you blame yourself?" 

Turning away, his back facing her, Syaoran made his answer. "A long time ago," he began slowly. "The time I returned…I made a promise to myself. It was a simple promise, but I found myself breaking it over and over." 

"What was that promise?" asked Sakura. 

"I promised I would never let you get hurt; that I'd always protect you, no matter what." He turned around and faced her. "But then," he continued bitterly. "Ironically, I find I am the one hurting you. No other Jiao Card has hurt you as harshly as I had last night. I promise to protect you and I hurt you more than anyone else. You'd be just fine if I never showed up." 

"Syaoran, please don't talk like that," said Sakura softly, her eyes downcast. "I'm glad you came back. I missed you so much when you went away and things would have been much worse without your presence." She fidgeted with her hands as she tried to think of the appropriate words that would explain how she truly felt. By then, Syaoran had sat back down on the chair by her side. "I don't know what I'd do without you." Syaoran placed a hand under her chin and lightly turned her head to face him. 

"I won't leave your side," he said. "If you don't want me to." 

As Sakura searched Syaoran's eyes and the expression on his face, she noticed there was a scratch on his left cheek. Reaching out, she touched his cheek gently. Syaoran was taken aback with surprise, but he didn't stop her. "You got hurt last night, too, didn't you?" she asked him. Syaoran shrugged his shoulders indifferently. 

"It was nothing," he said gruffly. Syaoran could feel himself melting under Sakura's touch. He took her hand in his and held it tight. "Sakura," he said. "I don't know how you can forgive me after what I've done, but always remember: I will never attack you willingly." Having never done things on an impulse before in his life (he had but just didn't remember), Syaoran pulled Sakura into an embrace, holding her close to him. Sakura was surprised by this, but it didn't mean she disliked the action. She rested her head against Syaoran's shoulder and he wrapped his arms around her tenderly. He was careful, of course, because he remembered she was still slightly wounded. 

"I don't want you to ever leave my side," said Sakura. 

"Then I won't," answered Syaoran, hugging her tightly. 

Unfortunately for Di Shang, he had chosen this moment to enter the room. He was returning Syaoran's sword to him. Jealousy pierced his heart as he watched the pair and, leaving the sword propped against the wall, he left the apartment, unnoticed by either Card Captors. He left the apartment complex as well, jealousy growing stronger. Paying attention to nothing but his emotions, Di Shang never noticed the figure tailing him…and also gaining. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Touya slammed his clenched fists onto the table. "Where is she?" he yelled angrily. "Where did she disappear to?" 

"Calm down, Touya," said Yukito. "I'm sure she'll be back soon; wherever she is." 

Not knowing how, an idea was planted in Touya's mind. "Could she be with those two Chinese brats?" he asked his friend. Yukito didn't answer him. When Touya turned around, he saw Yukito finishing off his breakfast and he sweatdropped. Yukito raised an eyebrow, unable to answer him with a full mouth. Touya then stormed out of the kitchen, grabbing his jacket, and left the house. Kero flew into the room as Yukito swallowed his food. 

"Boy, he's mad," commented Kero. "I wouldn't want to be either of the Li's right now." 

Yukito looked thoughtful, his hand holding his chin. "Something tells me they found Di Shang but something also must have happened to Sakura as well, otherwise Syaoran would have brought her back last night." When Yukito looked up, he noticed a shadow-like figure following Touya. He adjusted his glasses but realized he _wasn't_ seeing things. "Come on, Kero," he said. "I think Touya may be in trouble. Let's follow him." Yukito and Kero both left the Kinomoto residence, in pursuit of Touya. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"You're sure you're feeling better, Sakura?" 

Sakura nodded. "I think I've pretty much replenished my energy." She smiled blithely at Syaoran and he returned the smile with one of his rare ones. 

"All right," he said, giving in. "We better bring you home." Sakura was still dressed in her white buttoned shirt and she also wore a pair of white pants, lent by Syaoran, to wear over her shorts that matched the shirt. Her torn outer robe was folded and she carried it in her arms. Both Card Captors left Syaoran's apartment and Syaoran walked down the hall to Di Shang's room while Sakura waited by the stairs. Syaoran knocked on the apartment door. There was no answer. He knocked again. Still nothing. "Di Shang?" he said. Again, he was greeted with no answer. Shrugging his shoulders, Syaoran rejoined Sakura by the stairs. "I guess he went out for a walk or something. In any case, I'll walk you home." Sakura nodded. They left the apartments and headed toward Sakura's home. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Di Shang, heart enraged, found himself at a park. He didn't know what led him there. Something was telling him to come here and wait for someone. Someone he was supposed to despise… 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Touya, head filled with anger at the Li-brats, approached the park. For some unknown reason, he felt he had to go there. Because there, he would make someone pay… 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Sakura marvelled at the beauty of the park as she and Syaoran walked through it, a shortcut to her home. Though it was early summer, flowers were still in full bloom and the air was filled with its sweet fragrances. Birds chirped cheerfully from their places in the trees. Oddly, though, Syaoran felt uncomfortable at the park. He didn't know why; just a feeling… 

"What's wrong?" asked Sakura when Syaoran stopped walking. 

"Huh?" he said. "Oh…uh, it's nothing." 

Sakura cocked her head questioningly. "Are you sure?" Syaoran nodded. They continued their walk through the park. Just ahead on the same path they were on, Sakura could make out two figures. They both appeared to be in a hurried state. As they drew nearer, she recognized her brother and Di Shang. 

Syaoran recognized them, too. But Sakura had missed something about them that Syaoran hadn't. There was a dangerous gleam in both Di Shang and Touya's eyes.

Author's Note: It took me a while to finish this chapter, though I don't know why. I already knew the basic idea. *sighs* Again, this was another chapter that did _not_ turn out the way I had hoped. But was the end result all right? Well, there's the second S + ? moment. *smiles* Another S + S moment! About the scenes changing; it's definitely going to be either the next chapter or the one following it. Also, if you don't know what congee is, here's a definition I found in my dictionary: water in which rice has been boiled. Okay, it doesn't sound very appetizing, but it truly tastes better than the definition sounds. It's great to have when you're feeling sick. Anyway, [][1]e-mail me with comments and criticisms. Maybe if you have some ideas you would like me to incorporate into the story; that would be fine, too. =)

*Sakura  
~The Animé Archives Team

   [1]: mailto:taateam@hotmail.com?subject=New%20Cards%20Fan%20Fic



	8. Breaking the Seal

The New Cards  ****

The New Cards 

Breaking the Seal: Chapter Eight 

By: [Sakura][1]

Syaoran watched as the ground below him seemed to drop away. Then he turned and faced Touya, who was holding him up in the air by his collar. "Touya," said Sakura, pleading with her brother. "Stop it; put Syaoran down." 

Touya ignored the calls by his younger sibling, his focus entirely on Syaoran. There was fire in his eyes as he asked through clenched teeth, "What are you doing with my sister, brat?" Syaoran reached for a charm, and after taking it out and lighting it, attached it to Touya's sleeve, as he had once done four years ago. Touya loosened his grip on the younger boy as he swatted at the small fire, trying to put it out. Taking himself out of the self-proclaimed avenger's grasp, Syaoran leapt back, positioning himself into a fighting stance. But the moment his feet touched the ground, his legs were swept out from underneath him, causing him to hit the pavement. Looking up, he saw Di Shang with folded arms, anger alighting in his eyes. 

Without another word, both Touya and Di Shang attacked Syaoran with a series of kicks and punches. Syaoran continually blocked them, unable to find any opening to put out his own attacks. It was two against one; the odds were against him. 

Sakura, standing aside from the others, closed her eyes, concentrating. Her eyelids flew open. Just as she suspected; Jiao Cards were the main reason for Touya and Di Shang's attacks. But it wasn't like the Possess Card, because neither were being controlled entirely by the cards. The cards were merely fuelling their emotions, making them stronger and unfortunately, more unpredictable. 

The battle continued, even with Sakura on the sidelines, for both Touya and Di Shang were furious with only one person and at the moment, to them, no one else mattered. Syaoran was hesitant to attack Touya for, after all, he was Sakura's brother and he doubted she would be happy if Touya was hurt by his hand, especially before her eyes. Neither could he attack Di Shang; so Syaoran had nothing left but to defend. If and when he did attack them, he only sent out some mildly aggressive charms, like water or even a little fire, but his cousin could counteract them easily with his own. 

Battling right in the middle of the park in broad daylight, Syaoran was surprised not to draw the attention of curious passerbys. For that reason, though, he was grateful. Who would be able to explain that Touya and Di Shang were attacking him because they were under the influence of Jiao Cards? But he could not just defend himself. He was becoming overwhelmed by their swift and sudden attacks. Under normal circumstances, he would probably be able to battle both Touya and Di Shang at the same time, but because of the influence of the Jiao Cards, their skills had been greatly enhanced. 

Di Shang threw another swift punch at Syaoran, who held one hand up and caught the hit, trying to push him away. Touya, coming from behind the pair, was not seen by Syaoran, too busy dealing with Di Shang, and rearing back with fists clenched, he brought it down upon the younger boy. Stepping in, Sakura caught hold of her brother's arm, disallowing him to cast a single blow. With anger clouding his eyes, Touya struggled to free his arm from his sister's grip, and succeeded in throwing her off. "Ah!" screamed Sakura. 

"Sakura!" cried Syaoran. When he attempted to go after her, both Di Shang and Touya stood directly in his path, blocking his way. 

As Sakura prepared to hit the ground, she was swept straight into someone's arms. Looking up, she saw the familiar-friendly, though cold, face of her guardian. "Thank you, Yue," she told him. Yue nodded and landed on the grass, depositing her gently on the ground. Cerberus appeared by her side, smiling at her. Then, with a quick look at Yue, both guardians sprang out with their wings outstretched at Touya and Di Shang. Touya was held against a tree by Yue and Cerberus pinned Di Shang to the ground. 

"Seal them, Sakura!" shouted Cerberus. 

Sakura nodded and approached them. "Jiao Cards!" she cried. "Release Touya and Di Shang and return to your power confined!" Two shadows escaped from within Di Shang and Touya and each took the form of a card. Di Shang exhaled wearily as Cerberus released him, still lying flat on the ground. 

Touya, his vision returning to normal, was confused at the sight of Yue. "Yukito?" he whispered, before collapsing against the tree and dropping to the ground. Syaoran breathed a sigh of relief as he took a minute-break. Sakura held her two new cards in her hand: The Anger and The Jealousy. She understood why the Anger Card linked with Touya, but she didn't understand why Di Shang had been joined by The Jealousy. 

"What could Di Shang be jealous about?" she wondered. As she put her cards away, Sakura found an envelope in her hand. It hadn't been there a moment before…Opening it, she discovered its contents to be a short letter and three tickets. Syaoran joined her, as did Di Shang, and together they unfolded the letter and read it. 

__

Card Mistress…and her fellow Card Captors, 

I cannot but admit that you are better than I have given you credit for. You've managed to capture quite a number of my cards. You may have won a few battles, but in the end, the war will be mine. It's also been brought to my attention that you three have a - how should I put this? - a home-court advantage. I will be taking my leave now and you three are welcome to join me. If you have not reached my destination within twenty-four hours, I will just assume you have accepted defeat. But until then… 

Kam Un 

Syaoran took one of the three tickets from Sakura's hand. "They're…they're for Hong Kong!" he exclaimed with surprise. "He wants us to go to Hong Kong? Why did he choose there - of all places?" 

Taking a ticket himself, Di Shang added, "They're only one-way, too. I guess he's assuming that he'll beat us and we'll never be coming back." 

"Or maybe it was just cheaper to buy three one-way tickets instead of three round-trip tickets," muttered Syaoran sarcastically. Di Shang glared at Syaoran but didn't say anything. 

"Whatever the reason, we're going to Hong Kong and defeating him," said Sakura resolutely. "I won't let him have his way." Syaoran and Di Shang nodded their agreement. 

"You're not going anywhere, Sakura." All turned and looked at Touya, the one who had spoken. Sakura, realizing her staff was still in her hand, quickly hid it behind her back. Touya had been sitting against the tree the whole time, watching everyone silently. From time to time he would steal glances at Yue, then he'd shake his head, unsure of what was going on and what he was seeing. After hearing Sakura's resolution, he got up and approached the Card Captors. "Do you think you can just run off like that?" he demanded. "I'm not letting you go." 

"Touya," Sakura said pleadingly. "I have to go. If I don't, who knows what else Kam Un will do. I'm the only one that can stop him." 

"I don't care," answered Touya. "You're not going. I have no idea what's going on, but I do know it's too dangerous. Besides," he said, glaring at the Li's. "The Li-brats can go home and take care of whatever this is themselves. They don't need you." 

"Let her go." Cerberus looked up, astonished at his fellow guardian. "She's got a point, Touya," added Yue. "She _is_ the only one capable of completely defeating Kam Un. The Li cousins are strong, but without Sakura, they're not strong enough." 

"Who are you?" asked Touya, confused again. "You look like Yukito, somehow…" Yue seemed hesitant for a moment, but then he transformed back to his false form. 

"It's because I am," he replied. Cerberus returned to his false form as well. 

"You…you're…" Touya backed into the tree, speechless. He looked at Kero, too, immediately recognizing him as the doll always in Sakura's room. He closed his eyes and turned around. He always knew there was something different about Yukito. He wasn't like he seemed…It was obvious that whatever his sibling had gotten herself into, she was in pretty deep. What could he do? He couldn't oppose her leaving. Everyone seemed to depend on her so much…"She's grown up so fast…" thought Touya. Facing the others again, he finally nodded his assent. Sakura, tears in her eyes, ran to her brother and threw her arms around him. 

"Thank you," she said through her tears. Touya ruffled her hair as their father had often done. 

"I guess you had…better get going," he said. "Take care of yourself, Sakura." He glanced over at the Li cousins, then looked at Yukito. "Isn't there some way you and that stuffed toy can go? Instead of _them_?" Yukito shook his head, while Kero was steaming about the "stuffed toy" remark. Glaring at the Li's, he said, "If anything happens to my little sister, you're going to hear from me." Looking down at Sakura, he added softly, "Goodbye, my cherry blossom." 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Sakura felt strangely excited about going to Hong Kong again. When she had visited it last time, she had had a wonderful time, even if she didn't completely understand Chinese. That was the time she had captured the Arrow Card and met Syaoran's family: his mother and four sisters. She looked out the plane window at the sun, now setting down into the depths of the ocean. The plane had been up in the air for approximately fifteen minutes now and there was about four and a half hours left of their flight. 

The three Card Captors had immediately gone home soon after the "battle". Each packed a small suitcase and hurried to the airport. Not being an especially large plane, there was one aisle that separated the two sides of the plane's seating area, with two seats in each row, about thirty rows altogether. The trio sat at the back of the plane; Sakura by the window in the second last row with Di Shang beside her and Syaoran in the seat directly behind Di Shang. Beside him was an empty seat. 

Syaoran disliked being stuffed in the back row and he detested the fact that his cousin sat with Sakura. But feeling rather tired - for he _had_ been in a fight just early that afternoon - he tried to forget his disappointment and went to sleep, all cares in the world being put to rest for a little while. Sakura yawned and she herself felt extremely tired. She was still recovering from the fight the night before. Di Shang offered her to use his shoulder as a pillow, which she accepted, and leaning against him, fell promptly asleep. Di Shang smiled as he watched her. "Just like a sweet angel," he thought. But he did not notice two cards slipping out of Sakura's pocket. 

Suddenly, the entire plane rocked violently. Frightened murmurs could be heard spreading throughout the small plane. Syaoran and Sakura were both woken by the sudden turbulence, Syaoran having hit the aisle, his seatbelt not being buckled. As he stood, he steadied himself by holding onto the arm of the seat. The plane continually rocked, and people were more than a little nervous, despite the announcements made by the pilots. But those announcements didn't bring good news anyway. But suddenly, as swiftly as it began, the swaying stopped. When Syaoran looked up, he found the other passengers in the plane had already calmed down, but realized they had quieted down far too quickly. Sakura stood up, as well as Di Shang. "Everyone is asleep," commented Di Shang, looking around. 

"But how?" asked Sakura. As she glanced around, a figure at the front of the cabin caught her attention. "It's the Slumber Card!" exclaimed Sakura. "But it's in my pocket…" Checking her pocket, she realized she couldn't find the card anywhere. The Gust Card was missing, too. She looked back at the mischievous card. "How did it escape?" Suddenly, they were all thrown to one side of the plane as it tottered again; Di Shang and Syaoran both hitting the walls while Sakura landed in Di Shang's arms. The two blushed for a split second, something that did not escape Syaoran's notice, then split apart. Sakura pressed herself to the nearest window to get a view of what was happening outside. And what she saw was the Gust Card. "The Gust Card is causing the commotion outside," Sakura told them. 

"How could it break its seal?" asked Di Shang, dumbfounded. "It's a Sakura Card now." 

"I don't know," growled Syaoran. "But we - and all these people - will be in big trouble if it isn't sealed again."

"The Gust is outside," said Sakura thoughtfully. "That means we have to find some way to go outside, too." 

"Agreed," nodded Di Shang. "But you better seal the Slumber Card first." 

With her star staff in hand, Sakura ran down the aisle, shouting, "Slumber Card! Return to your power confined!" The Slumber disappeared into its card form. Before Sakura could touch the card, Syaoran picked it up and held it up, studying the card. Sakura stared at the card. "It's a…Jiao Card, again," she said. "But why?" 

Di Shang shook his head. "I have no idea. It was changed to a Sakura Card so it shouldn't have found a way to return to a Jiao Card. What's going on?" Before anyone could speculate further, the plane swayed once more, rocking unsteadily. Several of the sleeping passengers tumbled out of their seats, their safety belts unbuckled. "We'll get it figured out later. Let's find a way to seal that card." As the three ran toward the door, Sakura noticed that the plane was neither ascending nor descending. It was simply being pushed from one side to the other. 

When they reached the door, the sign on it simply read "use only in an emergency", indicating the opening mechanism. "I'd qualify this as an emergency," muttered Syaoran. When he turned to Sakura, he found she wasn't there. Looking around, he saw her seating the few fallen people back into their seats and buckling their safety belts. She rejoined them a moment later. 

At Syaoran's raised eyebrow, she said, "We're fighting the Gust Card and it's bound to get more than a little windy in here. I don't want anything drastic happening to these passengers like them falling out of the plane or something." Syaoran didn't answer because he was busy trying to pull the latch on the door down. Di Shang assisted him by pushing it down and they both pushed the door open. All were greeted by a sudden hail of wind. Fighting against it, Sakura pulled out the Fly Card and released it. Wings grew on her back and she stepped out the door, wings outstretched, flying in search of The Gust's visible form. She was swept away by the card's sudden blast of wind, but recovering quickly and pouring more energy to her wings, Sakura flew back and clutched the doorway of the plane. 

"How are we going to defeat it?" she yelled over the wailing gale of wind. Syaoran and Di Shang, similarly, were hanging onto the doorway. The cousins exchanged a glance and nodded. 

Working in tandem, both released their swords in their palms, and shouted, "Lightning! Strike!" Static bolts flew from the tips of their swords, striking the winds. The winds decreased in size and the visible form of The Gust appeared, obviously enraged. 

"Use The Thunder like you did before, Sakura," suggested Di Shang. 

Sakura nodded her head. She threw the Thunder Card and also The Lightning before her and released them. The Thunder joined with the lightning from the Li's and the Lightning Card to form one powerful attack. The two cards charged The Gust, knocking it down with a single blow. The Gust fell and landed on the left wing of the plane. Sakura quickly flew to its side. "Gust Card! Return to your power confined!" The Gust sealed and Sakura, after staring at it thoughtfully for a few moments, put the card away. But even with The Gust gone, the plane still rocked uncontrollably. Thinking fast, the Card Mistress took out the Balance Card. "Balance Card! Stabalize the airplane before it flips out of control!" The Balance Card, jester hat and all, wrapped itself around the outside of the plane, holding it in a stable position. With the plane no longer in danger, The Balance returned to a card. 

After flying back to the doorway, Di Shang helped Sakura into the plane and Syaoran shut the door by pulling up the latch, locking it. All sank to their knees with relief. Sakura held up her staff. "I have one last thing to do," she told her friends. "Forget Card! Erase the memory of this event from the memories of all of the people affected by it except for us, Card Captors; release!" 

When passengers on the plane destined to Hong Kong began waking up, they all commented on how smooth their ride was, even if their arrival time had been delayed for about an hour. But on the left side, in the last two rows, no words were passed between anyone. The three Card Captors were fast asleep. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

At the airport in Hong Kong, Sakura stifled a yawn. She was still tired out from the events of the last few days. "I'm just glad school's finished," she thought to herself. The time was nearing the end of June, marking the beginning of their summer break. 

Syaoran lagged a little behind Sakura and Di Shang. He was beginning to find Di Shang's constant presence…annoying. Okay, not beginning to; it had been this way for several months already; but still, he was a strong ally against Kam Un. His mind drifted to other topics. What did Kam Un have in mind, calling them here? And why did The Gust and The Slumber break free from their seals? How could it be possible? Unanswered questions whirled dizzily in his head. 

Reaching the baggage claim area, the trio stopped and waited for their luggage to appear. They watched each and every suitcase imaginable go by. After a few passed by, Di Shang found his, as did Syaoran, but Sakura waited and waited and hers still didn't show up. By then, all of the other passengers from their flight had claimed their luggage and left. Finally, her suitcase appeared, the very last one. As Sakura picked up her little suitcase, she found a note attached to it. 

"What's this?" she murmured, opening the note. Di Shang and Syaoran looked on over her shoulder. 

__

Welcome to Hong Kong, Card Mistress, 

I trust your flight went well? Oh, don't tell me; the seal to your cards was broken. How sad. It goes to show, Card Mistress, that you and the Li cousins can never underestimate my true power. I have just barely scratched the surface. Afraid yet? Well, you shouldn't be. Not yet, anyway. More challenges lay ahead for you and I will be testing you every step of the way. But remember, Card Mistress, seals are never permanent and they can always be broken. 

Kam Un 

Sakura crumpled up the letter, suddenly disheartened. Did that mean nothing could fully defeat the Jiao Cards? She looked over at Di Shang. He shook his head. 

"I honestly don't know, Sakura," he said, as if he had read her mind. "I thought that if the Jiao Cards became Sakura Cards, the problems with the seal would go away. Now I just don't know anymore." 

"But what was it that Clow Reed used to seal the Jiao Cards?" asked Syaoran. "Whatever it was, it had worked effectively up to about a year or so ago." 

Di Shang shrugged his shoulders. "That's another question I don't have the answer to," he said. All stood silent for a few minutes. "Come on," Di Shang said finally. "Let's go home. We'll figure out what to do there." Sakura and Syaoran nodded in response. 

As the Card Captors made their way to the arrival area for passenger pick-ups, they saw someone waving to them from a distance. From that far away, no one could see who it was. But, whoever it was, drew closer to them. The figure was running toward them, and as soon as the person came into view, they saw she had a happy smile on her face. It was Meiling. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"It's great to see you all again," said Meiling, sitting in the left passenger seat in the front of the car. Syaoran, Di Shang, and Sakura sat in the back. 

"How did you know we were coming?" asked Syaoran. 

"Di Shang called and told me," answered Meiling. Beside Meiling was the person in the driver's seat, a woman that looked to be about twenty to twenty-five years old. 

"Xiao Lang," spoke the woman for the first time, in Mandarin. "It's good that you're back in Hsiang Kang. Who's the girl?" 

"She's the Card Mistress," he answered, also speaking Mandarin. "Her name's Kinomoto Sakura, Chun Hua." The older woman peered at Sakura through the rear-view mirror with a smile. 

"Welcome to Hong Kong, Card Mistress," she said, switching to Japanese. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you." 

Sakura nodded in response, and replied, "Thank you. And you, too." Sakura turned to Di Shang, a confused look on her face. Di Shang smiled at her. 

"Translation: Syaoran, it's good you're back in Hong Kong. Who's the girl?" explained Di Shang. "That is Li Chun Hua. She acts as Meiling's guardian. She and Meiling are the only people out of our entire clan that doesn't have an inkling of magic powers in them." He paused when Meiling turned around and stuck her tongue out at him, then faced the front and folded her arms with a pout. Chun Hua glanced over at Meiling and giggled. "Anyway," continued Di Shang, sweatdropping. "Chun Hua takes care of Meiling while she's in Hong Kong. She takes Syaoran and me in sometimes, too, when the rest of our family is in Guangzhou or some place like that." He grinned at her. "I can become your official translator if you'd like, because Chun Hua doesn't have the best Japanese." Sakura nodded with a happy smile and Chun Hua laughed. 

"Well, we're here!" called Chun Hua, stopping the car after an hour's drive. Sakura opened the door and stepped out, Di Shang behind her. She stared open-mouthed at the grand house. It may not have been as big as Tomoyo's home, nor as elegant, but there was something about it that made you feel honoured to be within its presence. It was not a modern type home; it had been styled after some of the traditional homes in China back many centuries ago. The house was no more than a story tall, with a dark golden-tiled roofs that curved upward at the ends. The walls of the house had most likely had a harsh red hue, but mellowed out after years of existence. 

Since they were now in the outskirts of Hong Kong, the size of the home did not matter. A large courtyard sat in front of it, with once white tiles covering the entire ground. A few cracks ran along the floor and it became apparent to Sakura this place was used for duelling. Running along the edges of the last set of tiles were rows and columns of trees. High above, stars twinkled against a midnight-blue backdrop. 

"It's beautiful," Sakura said in awe, as she turned to Di Shang. Di Shang nodded, smiling. 

"It's always great to come back here," said Di Shang. "Chun Hua is also a great teacher when it comes to martial arts. She taught me shaolin and t'ai chi chuan when I was younger. I think she taught that to Syaoran, as well. She's also my older sister." He made a comical little face. "Anyway, come on," he added, taking Sakura's hand in his. "I'll show you around the place." Sakura nodded and Di Shang led her in, describing things as they went along. Syaoran watched them enter the house and scowled darkly. Meiling caught the scowl and sidled to his side, her arms on her hips. 

"You _still_ haven't told her, have you?" she asked. Syaoran turned around and cast her a glare. 

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said sullenly. 

"What am I going to do with you, Xiao Lang?" she asked him in exasperation. "You'll never win her if you don't tell her!" Syaoran ignored her and entered the house. Meiling looked downcast for a moment, then she remembered something. "Hey!" she cried. "You're not going to leave me to carry all your luggage are you?" Chun Hua laughed as she locked the passenger doors and opened the trunk. 

"I suppose Xiao Lang is just too preoccupied with his thoughts, Meiling," she said. 

"I guess," she said with a sigh. "But he'll lose Sakura if he doesn't tell her." 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"What happened to them?!" 

"Calm down, Meiling," said Di Shang, his hands held up in defense, a large sweatdrop behind his head. 

Meiling stared with disbelief at the three torn battle costumes, especially Sakura's. She shook her head, muttering dark thoughts to herself. "You guys are just impossible," she said in a scolding tone. Her hands rested on her hips. "I suppose you want me to fix them up now?" 

Di Shang laughed nervously. "We can sew when needed," he said. "But we need new pieces altogether and neither me nor Syaoran is capable of putting that together. You're our only hope, Meiling." 

"Don't worry, Meiling," said Sakura, smiling. "I'll help you out." Meiling looked at the blue, green, and pink battles costumes in her arms and nodded thankfully. 

"All right, but you _all_ owe me big time," she warned. 

Syaoran was sitting sideways on a chair, his legs dangling over the arm of it. He was by himself, brooding in anger, not paying attention to what was going on around him. Meiling plopped down beside him on the chair, the battle costumes spread out on a low table. Di Shang and Sakura sat on the two-seated chair opposite them. Meiling took out materials she would need; needles, scissors, rolls of cloth, etc. 

"Well?" she asked. Syaoran, Di Shang, and Sakura stared at her blankly. "Tell me what's happened the past ten months in Tomoeda," said Meiling. "And Di Shang, include those months you were in northern China. I don't really know much about that." Meiling began cutting away the seams that attached Sakura's robes right sleeve to the rest of the costume. She was planning to replace it. 

"Oh," replied Di Shang. "Sure thing." Syaoran changed from his earlier sitting position and sat down properly, curious to hear Di Shang's account of the last few months and of the times before he went to Tomoeda. Sakura was interested to know as well in detail. "Let's see," started Di Shang. "It all happened when the Elders told me I had a new mission…" 

Author's Note: Prepare for a very long "note". Meiling is back; and I've added another original character, Li Chun Hua. I made up the name. It's suppose to mean "Spring Flower". The scene change came earlier than I expected. I thought it would be at the very end of this chapter, not two-thirds down. *shrugs* Oh, well. Not a big deal. Yep, I moved all the Card Captors to Hong Kong, but not the Card Guardians =( I'm going to miss them. But remember, this won't be the last scene change; there's tons more to go!   
You may have noticed I switch between using Xiao Lang and Syaoran. Xiao Lang is the proper romanization for the Chinese version of his name. For Mandarin, anyway. In Cantonese, it's Siu Long. I'll be using Xiao Lang when a character like Chun Hua is speaking to/about him and the Clamp version for every other time or when they're supposed to be speaking in Japanese. Di Xuan is the proper romanization for Di Shang, by the way, and Hsiang Kang is most commonly known to everyone as Hong Kong. Did you know that these different last names in English - Chan, Chen, and Tan - are the same in Chinese? They're just pronounced differently depending on dialect. Chan = Cantonese; Chen = Mandarin; Chin = Taisan; Tan = Fukien. ^_~   
Shaolin and t'ai chi chuan are both different forms of kung fu (martial arts). There are more varieties than just two, of course.   
I noticed I never made a disclaimer before. Well, it is more than a little obvious I don't own CCS, but here's my disclaimer. _Disclaimer:_ I do not own Card Captor Sakura or any of its official characters. They belong to Clamp, Nelvana, and other related companies. The only thing that is mine are my original characters (e.g. Li Di Shang, Chen Chi Yuen, Kam Un, Jiao Wan, Li Chun Hua, etc.), the Jiao Cards, and the plot/storyline. If you copy anything of mine, I will flame you. I've had this idea for ages - since last August, anyway - and I've spent quite a lot of time and energy into it. (I'm completely devoted to this. ^_^) I have also taken time to research some aspects for my fic and I will be really upset if you copy any of my ideas. 

Phew! That note is really long! Well, please read and review and let me know what you think of the fic so far. I'm really having fun with this fan fic. =) 

*Sakura  
~The Animé Archives Team 

   [1]: mailto:taateam@hotmail.com?subject=New Cards Fan Fic



	9. Working Together

****

The New Cards 

Working Together: Chapter Nine 

By: [Sakura][1]

"Are you two fighting again?" 

Syaoran and Di Shang broke the gaze between them and turned to look at their cousin, Meiling, who was leaning against the doorway watching them, and shaking her head. The two boys were on the tiled courtyard in front of their home, fists flying, and at times those same fists crossed and struck at the same moment. Meiling walked down the steps and joined them. 

"Xiao Lang, Di Xuan, isn't there a better way to resolve your differences?" asked Meiling. 

Neither Syaoran nor Di Shang had changed their position since being interrupted by Meiling. They both stood in a combat stance, knees bent, each of their fists clenched tight right next to each other. "What do you mean?" sputtered Syaoran defensively. "We were just duelling." Di Shang nodded. 

"Yeah, right!" exclaimed the exasperated Meiling, throwing her hands up in the air. "Just admit it; you were fighting over the Card Mistress again." 

"I will not admi-ah!" Syaoran was cut off in mid-sentence as soon as he felt something jump onto his wrist and he crashed to the ground. Di Shang had a similar situation. Meiling ran down the stairs and joined her cousin. 

"Are you okay?" she asked. "What happened?" 

Syaoran rubbed his head with his right hand. "I don't know," he said. The moment he lifted his left wrist, he heard a yell and saw Di Shang being dragged upward. 

"Put your arm down!" yelled Di Shang. 

"Huh?" said Syaoran. He brought down his left arm and Di Shang was able to sit back on the ground. "Wah! How did I get stuck to you?" he cried, staring at his wrists. Di Shang looked down at his right hand. Around his right wrist and Syaoran's left wrist was some kind of handcuff-like object that linked his arm to Syaoran's. He tried to pull it off. It didn't budge. 

"Don't move," warned Di Shang. He lifted his right hand (and Syaoran's left) and studied the object. "There's no hole or anything. If there's a key for it, I don't know where we're suppose to fit it." Syaoran jumped up, pulling Di Shang to his feet, too. 

"That's ridiculous," he said. "There has to be a way." He unleashed his sword and slashed down on the material. Nothing happened. The bondage held. Not even a scratch was to be seen. He hacked away at it several times more, but to no avail. Syaoran put his sword away. Desperate to get this thing off, he suggested, "How about you and I try to use our strength to pull it apart?" Di Shang nodded. 

Both boys found a firm grip on the ground and began moving slowly in opposite directions. But the material still held and, after going as far as the bondage would allow, both boys crashed to the ground, attached by the wrist. Meiling looked on, unsure of how to help them. It was at this time Sakura appeared. She had been taking a morning walk on the path behind Chun Hua's home and it wound back to the courtyard. As she stepped onto the tiles, she saw Syaoran and Di Shang lying in a heap on the ground and Meiling watching them. 

"What's going on?" she asked as she walked toward them. "I heard a lot of shouting." 

"Syaoran and Di Shang are stuck to each other," responded Meiling. "By the wrist. And whatever it is, the thing just won't come off." 

"Let me try," said Sakura. Syaoran and Di Shang held out their arms, showing Sakura the bondage. Sakura took out her star key and transformed it. Flipping a card in front of her, Sakura cried, "Sword Card; release and dispel!" Gripping the sword in her hand, Sakura brought it down in one swift motion. Sword and bondage struck, but nothing happened. Sakura lifted her sword and checked it, ensuring it wasn't damaged. "I guess the sword isn't strong enough," she said. 

A scowl embedded itself into Syaoran's expression. "Great," he muttered sourly. "That means I'll be stuck with this guy for the rest of my life." 

"I don't like it any better than you," Di Shang shot back. Sakura and Meiling glanced at each other and sweatdropped. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Couldn't Kam Un have found a better time to release a Jiao Card?" wondered Syaoran, rather grumpily. Neither cousins were successful in removing the chain since it connected them this morning and Syaoran was in a very bad mood. Di Shang wasn't holding up any better. The day hadn't been easy for either boys. Both were constantly arguing over everything; from which direction to go to what they were doing next. At that moment, though, the four Card Captors were trailing another Jiao Card and this card was believed to be The Armour, an equivalent of The Shield. 

Sakura suddenly came to a halt, as did Meiling and Di Shang. But Syaoran, not paying attention, hadn't stopped in time and he went flying, pulling Di Shang to the ground with him. Syaoran rubbed his head with a groan and roughly shoved Di Shang off of him. "Why did you stop?" he asked crossly. Sakura pointed ahead of him. When he looked up, he saw Kam Un sitting on a branch of a tree, the Armour Card by his side. Kam Un stood up and laughed. 

"How are you holding up, Syaoran?" he said with a smirk. "I doubt The Bond can be a very pleasant experience for you. Especially when you're stuck to the person you despise the most." 

Syaoran glared at Kam Un, an angry spark in his eyes. "You better get this card off, Jiao User," he said in a low growl. "Or I will personally go over there and wipe that smirk off your face." Both Sakura and Meiling with astonished at the severity of Syaoran's tone. Syaoran pulled himself up as did Di Shang. 

Kam Un laughed. "I'm sorry," he said, chuckling. "The Bond will never be released without the right key. That is, if you can find it." 

Sakura's gaze turned toward the Armour Card. "What's that thing it's protecting?" she thought to herself. It held a key-shaped object underneath its protective form. "Meiling, Syaoran, Di Shang," she said. "The key; it's being protected by the Armour Card!" Syaoran nodded, and after brandishing his sword, ran toward the Armour Card, with his cousin in tow. 

"Syaoran, wait!" cried Di Shang. He pulled on his cousin's sleeve, trying to stop his approach. "You can't get near that card without a card of your own!" Too late; the moment Syaoran touched The Armour's shield, the energy from the card repelled them, and they were both flung into the bushes. 

"Di Shang! Syaoran!" cried Sakura as she ran toward the card, her star staff in hand. Kam Un jumped down and landed in front of Sakura, cutting her off. Meiling was right behind her. 

"Going somewhere?" he hissed. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Unknowingly to either Sakura or Meiling, when the two boys had landed in the bushes, they didn't just _land_ there; they fell right through them. Syaoran and Di Shang were sliding down a very steep hill, in the middle of a thick forest. Every time one or the other caught onto a branch or a stone to break their slide, that object would break free because it was weighted down by two people and they would continue skidding down the hill. And yet, abruptly, the hill ended and both Li's found themselves suspended in the air. Then they continued to fall. 

Somehow, by sheer luck, a branch protruding from the cliffside caught them. There they hung by their wrists, ironically, the troublesome Bond Card the only thing keeping them from falling. Looking down, Di Shang could see nothing but air. They both held onto the cliffside with their one free hand. But when one boy was able to pull himself higher than the other, they were both faced with the danger of falling even further down and neither could ascend a single step. They had to maintain the same balance in order to not endanger the branch. 

"If it weren't for you," scowled Syaoran. "I would be able to climb back up; no problem." 

"Yeah," responded Di Shang. "But if it weren't for you, I would never have done something as stupid as approach the Armour Card without using a card myself." 

"I only went to it to get rid of this stupid thing on my wrist!" retorted Syaoran. This brought on a fresh bout of arguments. Finally, when both cousins ran out of things to blame each other for, they hung there silently. 

"It was never like this before," thought Di Shang. "Things used to be so…different." Di Shang turned to look at his cousin. "Hey, Syaoran?" he called quietly. 

"What?" snapped Syaoran. 

"We…we weren't ever like this, were we?" he asked. "We fought, but not like this. What changed?" 

Syaoran's expression softened a little bit as he thought back for a moment. "I'm not quite sure," he admitted. "I suppose it was during our last battle, before the first time I left for Japan." 

"You're referring to the one when you beat me in front of the Elders and was then sent by them to Japan to retrieve the Clow Cards?" Syaoran nodded. 

"That's the one." 

~*Flashback*~

Ten-year-old Di Shang stood at the end of the arena, sword poised in his hand, his body in a battle stance, ready to strike. Confidence surged in his eyes and his blue aura glowed strong and bright. Opposite him stood Syaoran. His eyes were aloof, his expression betraying no emotion whatsoever, and his green aura radiating around him. Over the past two years Syaoran had grown colder and much more distant. Di Shang could hardly believe this was the cousin he had worked with just three years ago. And this was the one he had to defeat if he wished to go to Japan to bring the Clow Cards back to its rightful place with the Li Clan. 

"You ready?" asked Di Shang. 

Syaoran positioned himself into a fighting stance. "More than I'll ever be," he answered coldly. Di Shang made the first move, using his new sword, taking the offense. Syaoran, with his own sword, met every one of Di Shang's strokes, counteracting them perfectly. The Elders stood at the side of the arena, watching the two cousins in combat. They would decide who would be sent to Japan. 

The battle continued for more than an hour, neither boy gaining any real ground. That is, until Meiling showed up. Now, to both Syaoran and Di Shang, Meiling was their closest female relative. She was the only one they allowed to train with them and to learn the same lessons they did. When they were younger, they did everything together and Di Shang always retained a brotherly care toward her. But something had changed. 

Meiling stood by the side or the arena, opposite the Elders, watching her cousins in combat. When Di Shang slashed his sword down, Syaoran brought his up to meet his; both swords clashing against one another. Di Shang and Syaoran pushed together with all their strength, trying to push the other back, but they were equally matched. And then… 

"You can do it, Xiao Lang!" 

Di Shang blinked disbelieving eyes at Meiling. She was cheering for…Syaoran? Why? With Di Shang distracted momentarily, Syaoran knocked Di Shang's sword out of his hand and it flew out of his grip, clattering to the ground several feet away. Di Shang was forced to drop to his knees, Syaoran's sword tip pointing at the base of his neck. 

The Elders signalled the end of the contest and Di Shang felt his face turning crimson with shame. He abruptly stood up, bowed respectfully to Syaoran and the Elders, then turned and fled from the arena, anger and hatred filling him. Meiling, after throwing her arms around Syaoran in a big congratulatory hug, watched Di Shang storm off curiously. 

"What's wrong with him?" she asked Syaoran, still hugging him. 

Syaoran didn't answer. Besides feeling self-satisfaction for having won the contest, a part of Syaoran's heart suddenly felt very empty, as if he had lost something very important… 

~*End Flashback*~

Di Shang laughed bitterly. "I hated you after that day," he said. "I really shouldn't have lost that match; not that way. I was stupid enough to break my concentration when it was needed most. That's what really killed me that time. I knew it was my fault, but I still hated you anyway. How is it that you got the honour of going to retrieve the Clow Cards instead of me? Of course, when you came back with nothing, no one was more pleased than I." 

"Resentful words," commented Syaoran. "I'm surprised to hear this coming from you. Out of our entire clan, you were the most liked. Wherever you went, you were welcome. If it was me, they'd ask why I was always underfoot and tell me I ought to change my attitude and behave more like you." 

"But you were the one that acted so cold and insolent toward them," pointed out Di Shang. 

"Perhaps." 

"When you returned from Japan," continued Di Shang. "I could see the immediate change in you. Meiling had informed me of some of the events that occurred, but I didn't believe it. You came back so…much more _open_ than one may have expected. It's like the Card Mistress had made some sort of impact on you. You weren't even concerned your mission had completely failed." 

Syaoran was silent for a moment. "Well," he said slowly. "Sakura deserves to be the Card Mistress. No one else has worked so hard when it came to capturing the Clow Cards; or fought so arduously to win against Yue the judge; or even in transforming Clow Cards to Sakura Cards, no one could have done more. She's tried her best - no, she's surpassed even that - and she always came out on top because of it. But sometimes, she just doesn't realize her own strength." 

"She is strong, as the successor of Clow Reed should be," said Di Shang. "I'm glad to have met her; she's the kind of person who can make you feel better just by seeing a smile on her face. When she's happy, I feel happy, too." Syaoran didn't answer his cousin, but he agreed with Di Shang, and Di Shang knew it. 

"We shouldn't be fighting each other," said Syaoran softly. "At least, not at a time like this." 

Di Shang nodded. "Let's put aside all of our anger and hatred to each other and make a temporary truce. We'll work together to get out of this mess." 

"Work together?" repeated Syaoran thoughtfully. "That sounds familiar. We had to…do that once, didn't we?" Di Shang nodded again. 

"We did," he replied. "Eight years ago; when we were both seven years old." 

~*Flashback*~

"Xiao Lang, Di Xuan, you can do it," encouraged Chun Hua. Both boys stood aloof from each other, neither making a move. In an almost exasperated sigh, Chun Hua said, "If you boys don't get your act together soon, you'll both lose this tournament. Working together is the key." Syaoran and Di Shang nodded to their trainer. Neither wanted to let her down for she had spent much time in preparing them both. And they were ready; more than ready, really. 

As the Li cousins stepped onto the ring, the Tam brothers, their opponents, greeted them with laughter. In comparison, the Li cousins were much smaller than the Tam brothers were in stature and the Tams were confident of their victory. They were older as well, by at least three years. Tam Ling Shun, the taller and swifter of the two, folded his arms and stared condescendingly at the younger boys. Tam Sik Ying, physically stronger than his brother, pounded his fist into his hand, showing off his strength. 

"You babies won't win this," sneered Sik Ying. "Even if you were taught by Li Chun Hua. It doesn't matter, because you'll both be squashed like bugs as soon as we're through with you." 

Syaoran and Di Shang positioned themselves, opting for a defense stance, knowing that the Tams would choose to start off aggressively. The sight of the cousins in identical stances set the Tam brothers off laughing. "Are you just going to laugh?" asked Syaoran through clenched teeth. "Or are we going to fight?" They stopped laughing and smiled. 

"Of course we're going to fight," said Sik Ying. "Just prepare to lose." 

Before Syaoran had time to answer, Ling Shun knocked Di Shang to the ground with a swift punch. Syaoran cried out with surprise when Sik Ying punched him in the gut and he, too, fell. Getting up, he fought, blinded by fury, and slammed into the older boy. But it was no good. Syaoran hadn't used enough strength to take him down and was now down himself. When he looked over at Di Shang, he saw him getting beat up and knocked down as well. 

After hitting the floor for the fifth time, Di Shang pulled himself to his feet and with a series of kicks and punches, took offense against Ling Shun. Ling Shun blocked them easily and at one point, he was able to hold Di Shang back, then shove him into Syaoran, who was fighting off Sik Ying. 

The Tam brothers paused and laughed at the cousins lying in a heap on the cold, tiled floor. But then they each pulled up a boy and delivered their own blows, each harder than the last. When Syaoran and Di Shang showed no signs of consciousness, they released the boys from their tight grips and they fell facedown to the ground. 

"Ha!" laughed Sik Ying. "We win everytime! We're the unbeatable duo!" Ling Shun nodded in agreement and they both laughed heartily. The two judges on the sidelines made no comment as they continued to watch. Apparently the judges had caught on to something that the Tam brothers had missed. 

Still flat on the ground, Di Shang's fingers slowly began to twitch. He was boiling with red-hot rage. How dare they! How dare they underestimate their power, simply because they were smaller and in their eyes, considerably weaker. If only…if only he and Syaoran had worked together, instead of individually. They could have defeated the Tams…but it was too late now. 

Syaoran forced his eyelids open and slowly looked about him; every bone in his body sore. If he hadn't thought only about himself, about how he could beat the Tams, he would have realized that by working as one with Di Shang was the only way they could have beaten the unbeatable duo. As he was about to close his eyes and accept defeat, he locked gazes with Di Shang and both understood what they had to do. There was fire in both pairs of eyes, the same fire seen in amber as the one viewed in hazel. Without moving, they planned, just by looking into each others' eyes, what they were going to do. 

Without a sound, both Syaoran and Di Shang leapt to their feet. But as quiet as they were, Ling Shun had sensed their movement behind him and whirled around. Too late; for two fists impacted his jaw and he went flying into his brother. Though battered and bruised, neither Li cousins looked beaten. Then the brothers got up and angrily began attacking them. 

But Syaoran and Di Shang worked as a team, their movements completely synchronized, and if Syaoran left one side exposed, Di Shang covered for him and vice versa. They even used the brothers' size against them. Though small, the cousins had great agility and powerful hits. In the end, the outcome was obvious. The judges declared Syaoran and Di Shang as the victors. The Tam brothers sulked and left. Syaoran and Di Shang shook hands, smiling at each other. 

Hidden by the shadows, Chun Hua smiled. "See what you can accomplish when you work together?" she thought. "I'm proud of the both of you. You have learned a valuable lesson: co-operation." 

~*End Flashback*~

"So what do you say, Syaoran?" asked Di Shang. "Should we give it a try?" 

Syaoran nodded. "Only until we get this card off our wrists." 

Though the protruding branch had chosen that moment to break, neither cousins minded; they had already vaulted up the cliffside and were running through the trees, back toward Sakura, Meiling, and the Jiao Cards. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"What are we going to do?" muttered Sakura to herself. 

"I don't know," said Meiling, answering her question. "But if you have a trump card up your sleeve, I suggest you play it. 

Sakura smiled wanly. "Unfortunately, I have no such card." 

Both Sakura and Meiling were trapped by the Armour Card. After Syaoran and Di Shang had disappeared, Kam Un made a spell that moved The Armour. It flipped over Sakura and Meiling and trapped them underneath. Then it proceeded to shrink. When she tried to touch the card, Sakura felt a shock that rippled lightly through her body, a very unpleasant feeling. As it shrunk, Sakura and Meiling backed away from it's walls and finally into each other. Back-to-back, neither girls had anywhere to go. 

Looking past The Armour's shield, Sakura could see the now unprotected key lying on the ground. "If only I can reach it," she thought. She shut her eyes and bowed her head slightly as The Armour got closer and closer to her. "Syaoran, Di Shang, I hope you're both okay." 

Kam Un was sitting on the branch of the tree, controlling The Armour's reduction. At some intervals, he would taunt the two Card Captors within the dome by making it slightly larger than suddenly shrinking again. Neither girls could move now, completely trapped within the confines of the Armour Card. 

"Lightning! Strike!" 

Kam Un jumped up. What was that? 

Jolts of lightning surrounded The Armour's dome and since it could not take the combined force of lightning from the two Li swords, the dome disintegrated and The Armour transformed to its visible form, still surrounded by lightning. Sakura and Meiling dropped to the ground, trying to catch their breath. 

Sakura quickly stood up, her star staff in her hand. "Armour Card!" she cried. "Return to your power confined!" The Armour changed into its card form and landed in between Syaoran and Di Shang. Sakura helped Meiling stand up and they both watched Syaoran and Di Shang curiously. Syaoran took the card with his left hand while, at the same time, Di Shang took it with his right. Both nodded and smiled at each other. Sakura and Meiling looked at each other with disbelief. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Kam Un retreated into the night, enraged that another card was captured and the fact that Syaoran and Di Shang - no matter how temporary - had made peace with each other. "There's always tomorrow," he muttered sourly to himself. "I won't let them get off so easily. But then again, neither will the creator…" 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Sakura picked up the key lying on the ground and studied it. "Jiao" was written along the side in several languages, one being Japanese. She let go of the key and it floated in the air before her. "Jiao Card, I command you to return to your power confined!" The key disappeared and was replaced with a Jiao Card reading simply "The Key". After transforming it to a Sakura Card, Sakura used her wand to release it. 

Walking to Syaoran and Di Shang, she held up the key, near the Bond Card. Magically, a keyhole appeared. Sakura fitted the key into the hole and turned it. The Bond unlocked and fell to the ground with a loud clatter. 

Syaoran glanced at Di Shang and then Sakura. "May I?" he asked. They both nodded. "Bond Card, seal!" cried Syaoran, thrusting his sword just above the Jiao Card. The Bond was encased in its card form and picking it up, Syaoran handed it to Sakura. Sakura smiled happily at Syaoran and Di Shang. 

"This is great," she said. "Both of you are working as a team." 

Di Shang smiled back at her. "We both relearned that by working together, we are able to conquer anything and anyone." He turned to Syaoran, his hand outstretched. "Syaoran, I know The Bond is gone, but I'd like to call for a longer truce between us. Maybe until the end of the Jiao Cards? Then you and I can go back to fighting each other like before." There was a twinkle of laughter when Di Shang thought of them fighting again later, after these events had passed. Syaoran stared at the hand for a moment, no words crossing his lips. Finally, Syaoran took his cousin's hand in his and shook it firmly. 

"Together we can beat Kam Un," responded Syaoran, a faint smile on his face. 

Author's Note: So we learn a few more tidbits of Syaoran and Di Shang's past. I don't know why exactly, but I like using the names "Xiao Lang" and "Di Xuan" =). I think they'll be in Hong Kong for one more chapter and so they'll either leave at the end of the next chapter or the beginning of the one following it. Okay, no more hints! ^_~ (But there was a major one somewhere in this chapter…Did you spot it?) The Tam brothers don't have much of a role, except as figments of Syaoran and Di Shang's past, so I don't think we'll be seeing them again. But then again, you never know.   
I can't believe I finished nine chapters. This is my longest Animé-related fic yet! ^_^ Please let me know what you think of this chapter and others. 

*Sakura   
~The Animé Archives Team

   [1]: mailto:taateam@hotmail.com?subject=New Cards Fan Fic



	10. One Ghostly Night

****

The New Cards 

One Ghostly Night: Chapter Ten 

By: [Sakura][1]

Sakura sat by the window, her head resting on her hands, watching the rain showers pour heavily onto the city of Hong Kong. 

Though it was only mid-day, the Card Captors were cooped up inside because of the rain, no one really wanting to venture out into the drenching showers. The sky was darkened with blackish-grey clouds and lightning struck at several intervals. Di Shang joined her by the window, giving Sakura a small cup, filled to the top with Sway Sien tea. Sakura accepted it thankfully and slowly drank it, letting the steaming hot liquid warm her body. In Chun Hua's home, there was no heat or air-conditioning. It was always either sweltering hot or freezing cold. But most people didn't mind for they had no need for such luxuries. In fact, there wasn't any electrical lighting whatsoever and it was often pitch-black at the dead of the night. But as aforementioned, nobody minded. 

Sakura, Syaoran, and Di Shang had been in Hong Kong for more than a week already. Besides their last battle with the Bond Card, nothing had happened. No new cards appeared, and none of the sealed Jiao Cards had broken their seal; not since the plane trip. Di Shang was worried that Kam Un may have packed up and left to go attack some other place; Syaoran believed otherwise. 

After sitting in a comfortable silence for a few minutes, Sakura turned away from the window and, putting her cup down on the table, sat down on a chair. The room was lit with only three candles sitting on the table. Sakura then reached into a small bag and took out all of the Jiao - now Sakura - Cards and placed them on the table, spreading them out neatly. She now had exactly twenty of Kam Un's cards; and some of them she would never, ever use. She wondered how many more of them she needed to capture. Looking over at Di Shang, who was still by the window, she said, "Di Shang, I was just wondering something. The Clow Cards had a book to hold the cards in, so does the Jiao Cards have one as well?" 

Di Shang sat down on the chair across from her, contemplating her question. "Well," he said after a while. "I never actually saw the book, but there _is_ one, I know that for sure. Maybe this explains why the seals can be broken, even if they have become Sakura Cards. It's because we don't have the Jiao Book. It's most likely that Kam Un has the book with him." Sakura nodded, knowing what he meant. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"You're very close, Di Xuan," whispered a raspy voice. "But wrong; completely and utterly wrong." His sentence ended with a fit of coughs. "I'm still not ready; not ready at all. Kam Un, you'll be on your own, for the meantime." Kam Un bowed slightly. 

"I understand," he said solemnly. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Meiling bounded into the room and joined Sakura and Di Shang with a loud sigh. "When is it going to stop raining?" she mumbled. "I want to go outside!" Sakura patted her friend's shoulder understandingly. 

"Maybe it won't be for much longer," she said. "We'll just have to wait in here for a little while longer." Suddenly, she felt a strange power, like something was beckoning to her. "What could it be?" she thought. Then Syaoran entered the room. "I guess it was his power I felt…" she thought. But she couldn't convince herself otherwise. Syaoran, Di Shang, and Meiling began discussing Kam Un and tried to figure out if he ever followed a pattern. Sakura sat quietly, staring out the window. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was calling her. It soon went away and she forgot about it. 

Syaoran leaned back against the chair, exasperated. "This guy is completely unpredictable," he said. "He doesn't follow any specific patterns! I don't understand how his mind works." 

"Maybe he fights by instinct, by his emotions," commented Di Shang. "Many do; and it usually gives a person the upper hand against someone that just does the same thing over and over." He turned to Sakura. "What do you think, Sakura? …Sakura?" 

Sakura eyes widened. She felt the power again! What was it? Looking at her friends around her, she checked to see if they felt it as well. But they showed no reaction to the power. Instead, they were watching her intently. That's when she realized that Di Shang was calling her. "I'm sorry," she said. "I suppose, but…" The power was growing stronger and calling her. She had to see what it was. Getting up abruptly, she said, in an apologetic tone, "Will you please excuse me? There's something I need to see to." The others nodded and she turned and left the room. Syaoran's eyes followed her as she retreated from the room, then turned back to face the others. 

"Something's worrying her," he thought to himself. "So why doesn't she just tell us?" 

Letting the force lead her, Sakura found herself in her room, located on the west side of Chun Hua's home. If it weren't for the rain, the sun would be setting at that moment in a brilliant display of red and fiery orange lights. The power she felt earlier was much stronger in her room, but suddenly, it began to fade. Looking from left to right, Sakura found a note sitting on her side table. She picked it up and glancing at it, recognized the writing right away. 

__

Greetings, Card Mistress, 

I can see you're getting along rather well in Hong Kong. Peace is fragile, but it can be beautiful when in bloom. But flowers die, blossoms crumble, and peace then shatters into millions of pieces. You know very well, Card Mistress, that I need only you and no one else. Not the Li cousins, not your family, just you. Don't take this as a sentimental gesture, for it is anything **but** sentimental. You know from personal experience how chaotic the Jiao Cards can become, so I propose a simple proposition to you; you will meet me in Victoria Park and the outcome of the battle shall decide who gets to keep the Jiao Cards. If you lose to me, the penalty will be your life. If you do not show up within half an hour, you and the other Card Captors will feel the wrath of the rest of my Jiao Cards all at once; is that clear enough? Come alone; for this is only between you and me and it includes no one else. Bringing the Li cousins will only cause the same consequences as aforementioned. 

Kam Un 

Sakura's heart sank to the ground. What choice did she have? She knew Kam Un never made empty threats. Fighting back tears, Sakura grabbed her bag and began putting her stuff away. As soon as she was finished that, she changed into her battle costume. Scribbling a short note for the Li cousins, she slipped her bag over one shoulder and deftly leapt out the window, thankful that Chun Hua's home was only one story high. Taking one last look at the home she had for the past days, she turned and fled into the night, amidst the pouring rain, apologizing to her fellow Card Captors in her mind, hoping that they would forgive her. 

There was an uncomfortable feeling in Syaoran's heart. It also stirred in Di Shang's heart, but because neither cousin could place what they were feeling, they didn't mention it. Meiling took one look out the window and exclaimed, "Hey! It's stopped raining!" She ran to the window, peering outside. It was a wet world outside. Water slid and dripped off the roofs; streets were filled with water, almost to the point of overflowing; trees were completely drenched. Not the best place to venture out into, either. The sun had already set and dusk was setting in. Strangely, though, black clouds could be seen in the distance and in that area, it was still pouring heavily. 

"Time for dinner!" called Chun Hua from the kitchen. 

Syaoran's stomach growled, indicating his hunger. Meiling noted it and said, "You two go and start dinner; I'll look for Sakura." Di Shang and Syaoran nodded thankfully and went to join Chun Hua while Meiling went in search of Sakura. "If I remember correctly," murmured Meiling to herself. "Sakura went this way. Hmm…I wonder why she hasn't returned. I'll just go check her room first." Meiling ran to her room and knocked on the closed door. "Sakura?" There was no answer. "Sakura, it's time to eat." No sound at all. "This isn't funny," said Meiling, turning the knob. She was surprised to find it unlocked. Stepping into the room, Meiling couldn't believe what she saw. It was completely empty. The closet doors were wide open, revealing nothing. All of Sakura's stuff was gone. The window was open and as Meiling walked to her side table and picked up a piece of paper, dropped the note with a gasp, and ran out of the room. 

Chun Hua and the two Card Captors sat at the table, waiting for Meiling and Sakura when Meiling burst into the room panting. "Sakura's…gone…" she managed to say. Syaoran and Di Shang abruptly stood up, knocking over their chairs. They followed Meiling back to Sakura's room and found it as empty as she did moments ago. Meiling picked up the note she had dropped and read it aloud to her cousins. 

"_Dear Meiling, Di Shang, and Syaoran,_" she began. "_I can't thank you enough for all your hospitality and your kindness. You have helped me in more ways than one throughout the past years and I will never be able to repay you for that. I'm sorry, but I have to leave now. I hope I'll meet you all again someday. Please, promise me one thing: do not look for me. When I can, I will return. I am very sorry for all the inconveniences I have caused you all and I hope you can forgive me._ Signed by _Kinomoto Sakura_." 

Syaoran took the note and studied the writing, making sure it was Sakura who had wrote it. He crumpled it up when he realized it was indeed her that wrote it and not a forged letter. "Meiling," he said, taking charge immediately. "You're going to wait here in case Sakura returns." Meiling nodded. Turning to Di Shang, he said, "We're going to go look for her. I don't want her to be alone if she gets confronted by either Kam Un or other Jiao Cards." He immediately turned to leave. 

"Wait a minute," argued Di Shang. "She told us not to go after her. She must have a good reason. If she's in trouble, we could be putting her in more danger by following her." 

Syaoran turned around, glaring at his cousin. "I'm not letting her go by herself," he said coldly. "You may not care about her safety, but I do." He ran out the door, grabbing his sword on his way out. 

Meiling and Di Shang exchanged glances and Di Shang shrugged. "I guess that's his way of admitting he loves her," he commented to Meiling. "Wonder why he can't put it more bluntly." 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Sakura ran blindly through the pouring rain. Her battle costume, completely drenched, clung to her body, water soaking through her skin. But she ignored it. Her bag was beginning to feel extra heavy with the added weight of water, but she ignored that, too. There was only one thought in her mind as she ran and that was to find Kam Un and finish what he started. Though she couldn't see two feet in front of her, Sakura was guided by the Jiao User's dark aura, which seemed to be stronger than she last remembered. Suddenly, she slammed into a force field and fell back. Looking up, she saw Kam Un standing before her, his black aura surrounding him, and a smirk on his face. 

"Card Mistress," he sneered. "You can't be called anything but a fool." He took out a card and threw it in front of Sakura. "Go, Ghastly Card!" 

Even in the darkness of the night and the falling rain, Sakura could see the card transform into a tall figure; a figure with chains running along its midsection, arms, and legs; a figure with glowing red eyes set in hollow black sockets; a figure that can be seen straight through. Sakura stepped back, completely frozen with fear. It was a…ghost! The Ghastly Card slowly advanced a few steps, then stopped. Suddenly, it splits into multiple forms and the separated card surrounded Sakura. Afraid as she was, Sakura could see that these were the same shades that attacked her and Di Shang at the circus months ago. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Not far from where Sakura was stood Di Shang and Syaoran, at the very end of the rain clouds, where the water ended and the night began. Di Shang recognized the rain to be a card almost immediately and sealed it. Slipping the Showers Card into his pocket, he and his cousin continued toward the direction they felt the Card Mistress' aura. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

As Sakura backed away, she saw that the rain had stopped falling. Kam Un scowled, realizing what it meant. "You brought your friends along," accused the Jiao User. 

"I didn't mean to," protested Sakura. 

"It doesn't matter to me, Card Mistress," Kam Un replied coldly. "The duel is off. Ghastly, attack!" Obeying its master, The Ghastly flew at Sakura, one shade at a time, while Sakura leapt and somersaulted away to avoid them. Then the card changed its tactics; all shades attacked at once. An explosion ensued, caused by the Ghastly Card's attack, coming from the very spot Sakura had just stood in. Di Shang and Syaoran arrived right when it happened. 

"Sakura!" cried Syaoran. Kam Un was sitting on the tree, watching with amusement plain to be seen in his eyes. As the smoke cleared, they saw Sakura sitting on the ground, The Shield and The Armour cards protecting her in a sealed dome. Syaoran let go of the breath he didn't even know he was holding. It was at that moment, as well, that the Jiao User ordered The Ghastly to attack all Card Captors. With The Shield and Armour put away, Sakura turned and fled with Di Shang and Syaoran, the Ghastly Card, with their smoke bombs, were right on their heels. 

"I told you not to follow me," said Sakura as they ran. 

"I'm not letting you walk head-on into danger by yourself," replied Syaoran. "You better remember that." Sakura didn't answer. Did that mean he cared? 

"Let's split up," suggested Di Shang. "This card is much stronger when it's close together." His friends nodded and they each went separate ways, with at least two or three shades closely behind them. Suddenly, the shades behind Di Shang disappeared, as well as the ones following Syaoran. The shades had regrouped and went back to their true form and now, as such, they appeared behind Sakura, attacking her from behind. 

The Ghastly seized Sakura in its cold, grisly grasp and filled her mind with fear - fear for the present, the past, and the future - tormenting her with those dark thoughts. In the back of her mind, though, something was planted, something that helped her to see things more clearly. Then it vanished. Sick with fear and exhaustion, Sakura gave one final cry and fell to the ground, losing all consciousness. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Sakura's scream split the silent night air. 

"No," thought Syaoran with a sense of dread as he ran toward the sound. "Not again. It can't be…" He stopped short when he saw her, lying unconscious on the ground. Her name sprang to his lips. "Sakura!" he cried. 

Di Shang, having also heard Sakura, reached her before Syaoran did and lifted her up gently, his eyes filled with worry. Obviously angry, Syaoran drew his sword. "Lightning! Strike!" he cried, static electricity flying from the tip of the sword to the Ghastly Card. The Jiao Card doubled over in pain, unable to withstand any sort of electricity, especially those formed by lightning. In moments, the card stopped moving. Syaoran stopped the flow of lightning and stepped up to the downed card. "Ghastly Card," he said, making a downward thrust with his sword and stopping just above the card's form. "Seal!" The remains of the card disappeared as it was sealed into its card form. Looking back up to where Kam Un had been moments before, Syaoran was enraged to find that the Jiao User had escaped again. Without saying a word, Di Shang and Syaoran walked back home, Sakura being carried in Di Shang's arms and Syaoran, with Sakura's bag over his shoulder, glowering all the way. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Meiling walked into the room, carrying a tray of hot Sway Sien tea that she had just prepared for her cousins. Placing the tray down on the table, she sat back down on her seat by Sakura's bedside. 

As soon as the trio of Card Captors had returned, Di Shang had placed Sakura under the care of Meiling. Helping the Card Mistress out of her soaking wet battle costume, she found a clean identical pair of shorts and a buttoned down shirt for Sakura to change into. Now Sakura was resting in her room, still sleeping. Di Shang sat next to Meiling while Syaoran stood leaning against the opposite wall with his arms folded, still fuming. As Meiling looked over Sakura's battle costume, she found a note in the front pocket. Taking it out and unfolding it, she was about to read it when Syaoran snatched the note from her and read it silently, despite the running ink written on the damp piece of paper. Angrily, he crumpled it up as best as he could and tossed it over his shoulder. Di Shang caught it and, opening it, read the letter aloud. It was the letter Sakura had received from Kam Un earlier that evening. Now they understood why she had left them. 

"Why did you fall for his bluff, Sakura?" thought Syaoran as he stared out the window. "Why did you believe him so easily?" He turned slightly, a movement that went unnoticed by his cousins and watched Sakura out of the corner of his eye. "You could have been killed…" 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Sakura slowly groped her way through the dark empty space, unable to see anything. Where was the light? There was none to be seen at all. There was only total darkness. All of a sudden, a light flickered before her. The light threw shadows around her, ghostly ones all seeming to attack her. She cringed at the thought of more ghosts, their presence always frightening her. She could hear a laugh and looked up. The source of the laugh was Kam Un. 

"You have become weak, Sakura," he sneered. "What right do you have to still be called the Card Mistress?" His face was covered with shadows, but Sakura still recognized him, nonetheless. Then the light grew stronger and she could see bitterness in his piercing blue eyes. Abruptly, the shadows swerved and Sakura could see the robes of another figure. This figure stood tall and stared at her condescendingly. Slowly, the figure walked towards the light and Sakura could almost see his face… 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Sakura? Sakura?" called Meiling. "Come on, Sakura, wake up." Sakura's eyes fluttered open at the sound of her friend's voice and she found herself looking at the ceiling of her room. Bolting up suddenly, she was gently pushed to lie down and rest by Meiling. Meiling smiled soothingly at her and Sakura obeyed and didn't try to leave again. Looking about her, she saw that Di Shang and Syaoran were also in the room. Di Shang was sitting next to Meiling and Syaoran was leaning against the wall, arms folded and eyes closed. He appeared to be angry about something. 

"Syaoran?" she said softly. Silence followed. Abruptly, Syaoran unfolded his arms and opened his eyelids. 

"How could you be so stupid, Sakura?" yelled Syaoran. Meiling was shocked at Syaoran's tone of voice and her mouth hung open. "Do you think that going off alone will stop Kam Un? No! He's just waiting to get you and you leapt straight into his open arms! How could you fall for his trap?" Sakura cringed everytime he raised his voice. Syaoran began pacing the room. "Did you really believe that he would let you go if you actually _did_ win? You, the Card Mistress? No, of course not. Why didn't you think before you acted? Why did you act on your emotions instead of taking things step by step?" He stopped yelling, out of breath. 

His words hurt her. So harshly dealt and chosen that it hurt her terribly. "I'm sorry I'm not as strong as you, Syaoran," she retorted coolly. "Nor as level-headed. When it comes to Kam Un and the Jiao Cards I'm not given much time to think things out step by step. I battle the way my heart tells me to and that counts more than using only my mind." 

"Don't be so stupid," snapped Syaoran. "Depending so much on your heart doesn't always help you. It always makes you the victim, especially in Kam Un's schemes. You're playing his game, exactly the way he wants you to." 

Hot tears stung Sakura's eyes and they rolled down her cheeks. "Since I'm so weak," she said in a subdued tone, getting up. "Then I may as well leave. There's no point in me staying here any longer." Before she could get up any further, Di Shang placed his hands firmly on her shoulders and gently pushed her down.. 

"Sakura, please don't leave," he told her, gently wiping away her tears. Di Shang glared at his cousin for making her cry. 

Syaoran, though feeling rather repentant, said coldly, "_I_ should be the one to leave, not you." Making good use of his word, Syaoran turned on his heels and left the room. Meiling murmured her apologies to Sakura and followed Syaoran. She found him outside, sitting on the front steps of the house. 

"Xiao Lang," she said scolding him as if he were five years old. "I can't believe you. What are you trying to prove by yelling at Sakura?" Syaoran ignored her, a stormy cloud brooding above him. Meiling decided to try a different approach. 

"You say Sakura always acts on her emotions," she said softly. "But, Xiao Lang, that's exactly what you're doing now. You're acting out of anger. Anger is an emotion, too, you know." Syaoran continued to ignore her. By now, Meiling was steaming inside, unsure of how to make her cousin listen to reason. 

"Stop sulking, Xiao Lang," she commanded, her hands resting on her hips. "Being angry does absolutely nothing at the moment. You're just wasting your energy. Can't you think of something more productive to do?" She sat down beside him. "I know you're only angry because you care. You care so much about her well being; her safety. You just can't bear the thought of losing her, especially to Kam Un. Xiao Lang, why can't you just admit you love her? Use your heart to tell her that. Sakura needs you but you keep pushing her away. If you keep this up, you'll lose her completely, to someone else. Doesn't your heart tell you the same thing?" Syaoran turned away, not looking at his cousin because he knew at that moment, his eyes would betray his true feelings, the ones he kept buried within the deep chambers of his heart. 

Meiling was sick and tired of being ignored by Syaoran. "Boys just won't listen to reason," she thought furiously. "Maybe you aren't able to act with your heart because you don't even have one!" shouted Meiling. She turned and ran inside with an exasperated huff. Syaoran's quieted emotions were replaced with anger at Meiling's sharp words. But then the anger drained from his eyes and for that moment, he lost the will to fight. But he quickly regained it before he lost it again. 

"Meiling's right," he thought to himself. "I _do_ keep pushing everyone away. But why? Maybe it's because I'm afraid to let them get too close me, because I could end up hurting them, like I did to Meiling years ago." Syaoran got up and began wandering along the side of the tiled courtyard. Meiling watched him from inside. 

"Look into your heart, Xiao Lang," she whispered. "The answers you seek are all there. All of them." 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Don't think like that, Sakura," said Di Shang, his hands still on her shoulders, steadying her. "Syaoran doesn't really want you to leave and neither do we. He's just mad about something…You know how he gets sometimes." Sakura nodded, though not really convinced. 

"We were all really worried about you," continued Di Shang. "I mean, one minute you were there; the next minute, you disappeared. And Kam Un is a very dangerous foe." 

"I'm sorry to cause you all so much distress," said Sakura quietly. "I hadn't meant to. I thought if I left, you all would have less to worry about. I was merely because a heavy burden for you to carry." 

Di Shang held Sakura close to him in a hug and Sakura lightly leaned against him. "Don't ever think like that, Sakura," he scolded gently. "We care too much for you to ever think that. Besides, we volunteered. Nobody forced us to do what we did. Just promise me one thing." 

Sakura looked up at him with her emerald green eyes, still shining with tears, and her eyes met his steady hazel ones and she found comfort in them. "What is it, Di Shang?" she asked. 

"Promise me you'll never run away from us again," he said. Sakura hugged him tight. There was just something about him… Maybe it's because he reminded her so much of Syaoran when the latter had comforted her during her tears over Yukito. She was getting confused…But still… 

"I promise," she answered, in a soft whisper. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Why do my dreams keep coming true?" wondered Syaoran aloud. "Those nightmares…I don't want them to happen, and yet…they keep happening." He angrily slammed his fist into a trunk of a tree, striking it so hard that leaves fell to the ground. Looking up, he found a note pinned to the tree with a small pocketknife. Withdrawing the knife, he read the note to himself. 

__

Sad and all alone, Xiao Lang? 

I have some news that may cheer you up. You're all being drafted. Why, you may ask? Let's call this another test. If you can reach the destination indicated on the little map I've provided, I'd say you passed the test. Of course, you don't have to do this. After all, as you have often stated, you'd just be playing my game. Be forewarned, though, Xiao Lang; the greatest instrument of evil has gathered at this destination and you and your pathetic troop of Card Captors will easily be destroyed when it is unleashed. Do you care to try and stop me? Or are you going to just sit back and watch like a coward? 

Kam Un 

Syaoran clenched his fists. A coward, huh? He'd show him what this 'coward' could do! Unfolding the map, His eyes widened when he saw the destination point. It was so far away…After checking over the rest of the map, including the route given, Syaoran scowled darkly. "What are we?" he muttered to himself. "Chess pieces on the board game of life? Does he think he can move us wherever he wants, whenever he wants? As if we were his mere pawns? I'll play your game for now, Kam Un. But once I figure out exactly what you're up to, the rules will change." 

~*~*~*~*~*~

A dark clothed figure, covered by the dark shadows, lightly stroked his chin. "This boy is obviously quite sure of himself," he said. 

"That's a Li for you," replied Kam Un. "He just needs to be taught a few lessons so he can be brought down a few notches." 

"And the Card Mistress is confusing herself with her own emotions," added the dark figure. Kam Un nodded with a wide smirk on his face. 

"A stupid move on her part," he said. "It just makes things easier for us." 

"But I'd prefer a better challenge. Perhaps she is too weak." 

"Trust me, Master," said Kam Un with a slight bow. "You will enjoy the upcoming battle. I promise you that. Just amuse yourself for now by watching their insignificant little battles." The figure nodded and coughed, waiting for the moment he would be his true self again. 

Author's Note: I'm beginning to wonder…do you readers actually like this fic? If you're reading this note, that means you've been following the story, and that's good news so far. *smiles* I got the CCS second movie on DVD, but it's all in Japanese. *exasperated* What are they saying? There might be Chinese subtitles but I haven't checked yet.   
Now about the story: Our three Card Captors are leaving Hong Kong, but wait! Where are they going? Hehehe…*grins evilly* I didn't mention it in this chapter. Try to guess where! And who's the strange person that keeps popping up every once in a while with Kam Un? Come on, guess!!! ^_~ I'd like to see if anyone can get it.   
I think I have about fifty or more Jiao Cards so far. Some of them are mere equivalents to the Clow Cards while others are totally new and original! =) After I finish this fic, I'll post a list of all the cards, short descriptions about them, and what chapters they appear in. Or…do you want me to post the list I have now? The list I currently have includes every card that has been used/captured/mentioned in the past chapters and it is always being updated as I write. Let me know what you want. 

*Sakura   
~The Animé Archives Team 

   [1]: mailto:taateam@hotmail.com?subject=New Cards Fan Fic



	11. New Battlefields

The New Cards  ****

The New Cards 

New Battlefields: Chapter Eleven 

By: [Sakura][1]

"Guangzhou?" exclaimed Meiling. She began walking back and forth in front of Sakura, Syaoran and Di Shang. She stopped pacing for a moment and looked at them. "But that's where…" Syaoran nodded. 

"I know," he said. "We'll take a boat there and find our way from that city." 

"Wouldn't going by plane be faster?" asked Meiling. "I mean, considering the destination…" 

Syaoran nodded again. "Most likely, but there's something Di Shang and I have to do first." 

Meiling didn't say anything right away. She stood at the window, her back to the Card Captors. Then she turned around and smiled at them. "Well," she said. "I wish you all the best. Don't go ruining your battle costumes now, because I can't fix them for you anymore." They nodded. Sakura walked over to Meiling and gave her a hug. 

"Thanks for everything, Meiling," she said softly. "I'm sorry you can't come with us." Meiling shrugged carelessly. 

"I don't want Chun Hua to think I'm deserting her again," replied Meiling. "Besides, there's still a lot I need to learn from her. You all take care; especially of each other." She gave Syaoran a stern look as she said the last part. Syaoran looked away, pretending he didn't noticed. 

After they left, Meiling gave an exasperated sigh. Chun Hua, passing by, asked, "Why didn't you go with them, Meiling? I would have let you go." Meiling shook her head. 

"Xiao Lang has to see the truth for himself," she answered. "During the past week, I have thrown hints and comments at his face and he ignores them all. The only way he'll learn is if he does it on his own." She held her head in one hand. "But he can be so clueless sometimes I wonder if he'll ever realize it. And Sakura can be just as dense and I'm beginning to think she'll never notice." 

Chun Hua smiled softly. "True love will always find a way, Meiling," she said. "So have some faith in them." 

~*~*~*~*~*~

While cruising on the Zhujiang, Sakura ran up the stairs on the boat and stood by the railing, looking down into the waters. The waterway, Zhujiang, means Pearl River, and the city Guangzhou was situated at the mouth of this river. Sakura turned and leaned against the railing, a carefree smile on her face. For a few moments, she let herself forget her troubles with the Jiao Cards and Kam Un and enjoyed the smooth breeze that flowed through the river. Syaoran ascended the stairs slowly and caught sight of Sakura by the railing, her back to him. Di Shang was feeling rather seasick and decided to stay below the deck, but Syaoran wanted some fresh air to clear his head. Though, after seeing Sakura, his mind flew into a jumbled mess once again. 

Not wanting to disturb Sakura, Syaoran stood by the side of the stairs, just watching her. Sakura closed her eyes and allowed the wind to breeze by her face. The smile still alighted her expression and Syaoran loved to see her at peace. She looked so happy…maybe it would've been better if they sent her home. Then she wouldn't have to get involved again. He hated it when something happened to his cherry blossom. 

Sakura's eyelids opened as she sensed something and she turned around; only to find her gaze locked with Syaoran's. He had been watching her the whole time; Sakura had felt his presence. But she didn't mind, it was calming and she felt safe when he was near. Syaoran walked onto the deck and joined Sakura by the railing, now that she knew he was there. Together, they stood side by side, looking out into the Pearl River. 

"Do you ever regret it, Sakura?" Syaoran suddenly asked her out of the blue. Sakura looked up at her friend curiously. 

"Regret what, Syaoran?" 

"Regret that you've never been able to lead a normal life, like every other girl?" Syaoran's hands clenched tighter to the railing. "The fact that you always have the world in the palm of your hands, the power, and not want it?" 

"My power?" thought Sakura to herself. "No," she said softly. "I don't regret it. None of it. At the beginning, I was often hesitant, afraid that I might make a mistake and ruin everything; that I would let people down, like Kero. But since then, I've learned to accept my fate. If I can use my powers to help people, then all the better." 

Syaoran suddenly turned and placed his hands on Sakura's shoulders. Sakura looked up at him with surprise. "But your life is constantly in danger because of those powers," he said. "If you could have the chance to rid yourself of that power, to change your fate, would you?" Sakura shook her head slowly. 

"If it weren't for this power," she said. "Then you would leave and I would never see you again. After all, that is why you came back, right?" Sakura clamped her hand over her mouth, immediately after realizing what she had just said. She turned crimson red and whirled around, trying to hide it. Syaoran's arms dropped to his sides. "I, uh, have to go," stammered Sakura. She turned quickly and ran down the stairs. 

Syaoran clenched his fists. "You think…you think I only came back because of your powers, Sakura?" he asked softly. "What have I ever done to make you think something like that? I came back - not because of your powers or the Jiao Cards - but because I…I…" He angrily struck the railing with his fist. "Why can't I say it?" He slouched against the railing. "Maybe that's why you think that…because I can't ever admit it…not even to myself…" 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Sakura gaped at the busy city scene before her while Di Shang smiled with relief, happy to be off the boat. When it came to boats, he was usually all right if travelling by a large ship, but when using a ferry like the one they had just been on, his stomach always felt rather queasy. 

"Welcome to Guangzhou," Di Shang told Sakura. "The capital of the Chinese province, Guangdong, of which Hong Kong is also a part of." 

"Why are we here?" asked Sakura. "I don't think this was the destination Kam Un wanted us to go to. Wasn't it 'Sian'? Or something along those lines?" 

"It's Xian," corrected Syaoran, coming from behind her. He stopped and surveyed the crowd. "We have to go north; until we reach Yuexiu Park." Sakura stared at him with confusion on her face. "Just follow me and you'll see," said Syaoran. Sakura assented wordlessly. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Two men stood side by side next to the mythological monument located in Yuexiu Park. One man glanced at his watch impatiently. "Xiao Lang is always so irresponsible," he muttered to his partner. 

"Just give them both time," said the other soothingly. "Di Xuan always keeps his word. And so does Xiao Lang - eventually. They will be here soon." Not far in the distance, three figures could be seen approaching; the two Li cousins and the Card Mistress. "See?" The first man responded with a muffled snort and waited for the Card Captors to arrive. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"There they are," said Di Shang as they made their way through the park. Sakura studied the two elderly men. Both stood tall at approximately six feet with long greyish-white braids resting on their broad shoulders. They may be old, but it was obvious they weren't what you would call weak. When the Card Captors reached them, Di Shang and Syaoran bowed respectfully to them and Sakura, not sure of what to do, curtsied politely before them. Eyes on the ground, Sakura could feel the slightly shorter of the two men glowering condescendingly at her, a scowl on his face, while the other smiled warmly. 

"It's good to have you back in China, Di Xuan," the latter told Di Shang as the boy straightened up. When he turned to look at Syaoran, Syaoran glared at him defiantly and the older man's eyes twinkled with amusement. "And I see our runaway has returned as well." Walking past the Li cousins, the man stopped in front of Sakura. "It's nice to finally be able to meet with you, Card Mistress," he said, speaking in fluent Japanese. Sakura stepped back slightly in surprise. She hadn't expected to hear much Japanese while she was in China. "I am Li Wing Kuen, one of the Li Elders." 

"Nice to meet you, too," she answered softly. "My name is Kinomoto Sakura." 

Wing Kuen nodded. "And this man," he said gesturing to his peer. "Is Li Shum Yee, another Li Elder." Shum Yee nodded curtly in response. Looking over at the Li cousins, he said, "We have much to discuss with you about the Jiao Cards. And," he added, staring straight at Syaoran. "Some of you have some explaining to do." Syaoran countered his gaze, defiance still in his eyes. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"So you've decided to return, Xiao Lang?" 

Syaoran, having just stepped into the room, looked up to see his mother's back to him. She was arranging something at a desk and spoke to him as she did so. "Mom?" he said. 

Yelan turned around, her long black hair swirling behind and resting lightly on her back. She studied her son from head to toe. "You've grown a bit the past year," she commented. Turning back to her work, she asked him, "How is the Card Mistress? And Di Xuan?" 

"They're okay…" mumbled Syaoran. "But why are you here?" 

"I have some things to take care of, Xiao Lang," she answered. "I'll tell you about them later. The council will be wanting to see you soon, so go join your friends." Syaoran slowly stepped out of the room, not knowing what else to say. He decided to just leave and did so. He found Di Shang showing Sakura a little waterfall he had made once with magic and was telling her the story. 

"…and so, I hadn't been watching when this…oh, hey, Syaoran," said Di Shang. Syaoran sat on the edge of the pool and didn't answer. Sakura and Di Shang exchanged a glance and Sakura moved and sat down beside Syaoran as Di Shang did the same. 

"Is something wrong, Syaoran?" she asked gently. Syaoran was staring into space, not paying any attention at first. Then he turned and faced her, eyes troubled. 

"I'm afraid the Elders will send me back to Hong Kong," he said, almost glumly. 

"But why?" 

"Because I wasn't supposed to go to Japan," he answered. "I left without telling them; without telling anyone. This wasn't a mission given to me. I am supposed to have no business with this. They didn't want to send me again because my first mission had failed." Sakura was silent. He had failed because of her. If she had just given him the cards instead of fighting with him over them before Yue's judgement, he could have brought them back to China and made the Li Elders happy. She didn't want to lose Syaoran…not because of this…there were times she needed him… 

Standing up, Sakura said, "Don't worry, Syaoran. When it's my turn to see the council of Elders, I'll speak on your behalf." Syaoran looked up at her, an expression of surprise on his face. 

"You'd do that?" he asked. "For me?" Sakura nodded with a smile on hers. 

"Don't." 

Syaoran and Sakura turned around and saw Wing Kuen standing behind them. "Don't do it," he repeated. At Sakura's questioning look, he said sternly, "Card Mistress, if you told the Elders such a thing, they will deny Syaoran the right to continue capturing Jiao Cards. Already he is not favourable in their eyes and getting requests from the Card Mistress on his behalf will set them against him even more. He has disobeyed them too many times and they will not be so lenient to him anymore. And as for you, Card Mistress, because you are the cause of Syaoran's failure in his mission, they do not like you nor your presence here any better." 

Sakura eyes were downcast. To hear such a thing; and from a Li Elder at that! Looking at Sakura's downhearted expression, Wing Kuen's expression softened and he added, "But I am not like most Elders, Card Mistress." Sakura switched her gaze from the ground to the Elder, an image of hope in her eyes. "I will do my best to persuade the rest of the council on Syaoran's behalf. It is better for him if he stays with the two of you for I believe he'll learn more battling side-by-side with his friends than he will sulking at home." Sakura nodded, expressing her heartfelt thanks and Wing Kuen smiled. "It's the least I can do after all you have done for us." 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"I'm going on, mother." 

Yelan turned around at the sound of her son's voice. She nodded. "I knew you would," she said. "With Wing Kuen backing you up." 

Syaoran stared at her, astonished. "You want me to go?" he asked. "You're not mad I left without telling you?" 

His mother smiled wryly. "I would have appreciated it if you wrote to me once in a while. That way I wouldn't have to depend on Di Xuan's reports to the Elders to know how you were doing." She stood up, walked to her son and hugged him. "Be very careful, my son," said Yelan. "And don't let yourself get trapped by the dimensions of time." Confusion registered on Syaoran's face but Yelan volunteered no further information. She released him and straightened up. "Watch over the Card Mistress," she added. "And protect her at all costs." Syaoran nodded. 

"I won't let you down," he promised. Turning, he ran out the door, toward the place Sakura and Di Shang were. "Not anymore," he added in a whisper. Yelan watched her son leave, smiling to herself for she had heard every word he said. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Syaoran joined Sakura and Di Shang as Wing Kuen was giving the two Card Captors some tips and information about China. "And remember to watch your backs," concluded Wing Kuen. "I believe it's safe to say Kam Un is more slippery than an eel." 

"Goodbye, Li Wing Kuen," said Sakura with a curtsy. "And thank you for all your help." 

Wing Kuen smiled. "Think nothing of it, Card Mistress. I'm just glad I can assist you all in your journey." 

"I'll report back to you once a week, Elder Li Wing Kuen," said Di Shang. Wing Kuen waved his hand, immediately dismissing the idea. 

"There's no need to," he said. "So don't write any reports, understand?" Di Shang nodded and the trio of Card Captors turned and left. "Because no one will ever get it," Wing Kuen added under his breath, after the Card Captors were out of hearing range. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

After walking for several hours, Sakura ventured to ask their guide, Syaoran, a question. "Why are we still walking?" 

Syaoran paused and stopped walking. "Tired already?" he asked her. Sakura shook her head. 

"No, just curious," she said. 

"Believe it or not," he answered. "It's much faster if we walked through this area. Besides, these suburbs barely have any other modes of transportation besides horses and we can't spend the little money we have on that. We're saving that for our plane tickets." Sakura nodded at the reasonable answer and reflected that she could use the Fly Card if she really wanted to, or even The Windy. But as the Card Captors continued walking, they were suddenly greeted by a sandstorm and their arms flew up to protect their eyes. The odd thing was that area was all grasslands. Where did all the sand come from? 

"It's got to be another Jiao Card," shouted Di Shang over the whirling sands. 

"Right!" answered Sakura, releasing her star wand. "Gust Card! Create a whirlwind to trap the Jiao Card! Release and dispel!" The Gust flew out and formed a strong whirlwind, completely wrapping itself around the Jiao Card. "Jiao Card, return to your power confined!" The form converted into a card, simply reading The Gravel. But as Sakura picked up the card, they all realized that the Gravel Card was used only as a diversion. Suddenly, a black form appeared before them as the sand vanished and swallowed up the three Card Captors before they had a chance to escape. Everything went black. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Sakura groggily lifted her head up. Sitting up, she looked around, a dazed expression on her face. "Where am I?" she muttered. She found herself under a tall shaded tree, in a forest, quite unlike the fields of vegetation they had been in earlier. Di Shang, lying beside her, also sat up and rubbed his head. "Are you okay?" asked Sakura. 

Di Shang nodded, wincing as he found a bump on his head. "I'll live," he answered. Behind him, someone groaned as he woke and grumbled to himself. 

"Kam Un just _had_ to send two cards after us, and we just _had_ to fall for the decoy." 

"Cheer up, Syaoran," said Sakura. "At least we're okay. But, um," she looked about her. "Where are we?" Syaoran shrugged as he glanced about him. 

"We're not anywhere near Guangzhou anymore," he replied. "That's for sure." 

"There's a town up ahead," said Di Shang. "Let's go there and find out." The others nodded in agreement. Sakura dusted herself off and was relieved to find the star key around her neck and her charm bracelet still on her wrist. Dusting off her pink ceremonial robes, Sakura stood up and, joined by Di Shang, quickly followed Syaoran, who was already halfway toward the village. 

As the Card Captors walked through the town, Sakura could feel the townspeople staring at them as they walked back. It made her feel really nervous. Was there something wrong? Why did they stare at them? She also noticed that the townspeople's clothes were rather…old-fashioned. She had seen clothes like these in her school history textbooks. Both men and women wore long robes, sweeping the ground. Men wore their hair long, braided tightly or flowing loosely, resting on their backs. The women's hair, also very long, was more elaborately dressed, with headpieces, pins, and hairclips. Sakura's hand conscientiously flew to her own hair, and wished, for a brief moment, that she had long beautiful flowing hair as those women did. Di Shang noticed this and gently pulled her hand away from her hair. 

"Your hair is beautiful the way it is," he whispered to her. "I wouldn't want it any other way. Just ignore them." Sakura's cheeks coloured a light pink at the comment. "Syaoran," said Di Shang, calling to his cousin. Syaoran stopped walking and turned around to face him. "Do you notice anything strange about this place?" Syaoran nodded. 

"I feel like I'm in the nineteenth century or something," Syaoran replied. "Because of the way the people are dressed. The roads…this one isn't even paved. It's just hardened dirt." Syaoran adjusted his green hat uncomfortably as he could see people pointing to his and his peer's short hair. Glancing at his watch, he added, "It's seven o'clock now. What say we find a place to stay for the night and continue tomorrow?" Di Shang and Sakura nodded. Looking around them, Syaoran saw a store that doubled as a restaurant and a hotel and entered it. The customers stared at him as he walked past and he could hear their whispers. 

"What's with the big hat?" 

"No one ever wears their undergarments in public." 

"Such short hair. Did he cut it that way purposely? What a disgrace." 

"No respect at all." 

"He's just a small child." 

"Undergarments?" thought Syaoran. He then realized why they thought he was wearing undergarments. It was because of his pants. All the other males in the restaurant wore long robes that covered the pant legs. The two cloths that hung in the front and the back of his battle costume didn't count as a robe in their eyes. "What is going on?" wondered Syaoran. The man at the desk stared at him. 

"Can I help you?" the man asked coldly. 

"How much is it to reserve two rooms here?" asked Syaoran, trying to act calm on the outside, though shaking like a leaf inside. Sakura, feeling Syaoran's uneasiness, placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, and when he glanced at her briefly, she smiled warmly at him. This smile calmed Syaoran down and he was able to completely regain his composure. 

"I'm afraid we only have one room left," the man said. "You have come at the busiest time of the year. And I can assure you that all other places are booked full, as we almost are." Syaoran exchanged glances with his friends. Di Shang nodded, stating that they ought to take it. 

"We'll take that, then," said Syaoran. 

"Will you be having your dinner down here or in your room?" asked the man. At Syaoran's questioning look, he added, "We offer a combination of dinner and accommodations." 

Not wanting to face the people's stares again, at least, not so soon, Syaoran replied, "We'll have it in our room." The man nodded and called for someone. A girl appeared from another room and stood beside them. 

"She will take you to your room," said the man. "Enjoy your stay." 

"This way," said the girl. She led the Card Captors up a flight of stairs and took them to the room at the end of the hallway. Pushing open the doors, she entered and lit a candle, placing it on the center table. "If you want more light, candles are provided in that drawer. Would you like your dinner now or later?" 

"Now is fine," answered Syaoran. The girl nodded and turned to leave. "Hold on a minute," said Syaoran. The girl, an expression plainly showing on her face that she wanted to be anywhere but there, turned around submissively at his request. "Where are we? What…what day is this?" 

"You are in Wuhan, Hubei, China, and it's April 20, 1821," she told him. They all gaped at her with surprise. Was she serious? 1821? How was it possible? 

"Um, you can go," mumbled Syaoran feebly. The girl quickly walked out of the room. Syaoran dropped into a chair. "How could this happen?" he asked. "The last day I remembered was July 17. How did we go back in time?" 

"It has to be the black form that attacked us," said Di Shang. "It may have been the Hour Card. We better defeat it before we get stuck in this time period." Sakura was silent. They were…in the past now! How would they get back to their own time? 

"That's what my mom meant," thought Syaoran. "When she said to not let myself get trapped by the dimensions of time. Somehow, she knew this card would appear." A light knock on the door broke through his thoughts. Sakura walked over and opened it. A different girl - one that was pretty and petite in stature - stood there, a tray of food held in her arms. She didn't look to be any older than fifteen years old. Her long dark brown hair was pulled back in a simple ponytail and a demure smile dimpled her face. But her cinnamon eyes were clouded and her expression was of one in misery. 

"I've come to deliver your food," she said softly. 

"Come on in," responded Sakura. The girl gingerly stepped into the room and slowly walked toward the table in the center of the room. Syaoran, still sitting on the chair by the table, raised an eyebrow to his friends at the girl's slow pace. Suddenly, the girl tripped, and the tray of food came crashing down on Syaoran, knocking him off the chair. Both he and the girl lay on the ground in a heap of food. The girl sat up quickly, her face red with embarrassment. Syaoran was quick to anger. 

"What did you do that for?" he shouted at her. 

"I'm…I'm sorry…" she stammered. "I couldn't help it." 

Sakura helped the unfortunate girl to her feet. "Don't worry about it," she said. "It was just an accident. Things happen." Di Shang helped his cousin clean up the mess of food on the ground but Syaoran noticed the girl did nothing to help them. 

"Well?" snapped Syaoran, unable to keep the irritation out of his voice. "Aren't you going to help us?" 

"I…I…" stuttered the girl. Her shoulders suddenly slumped forward and she buried her head in her hands. "I…I can't see anything!" she cried brokenly. 

Author's Note: Some of you are pretty good; you've guessed who the mysterious man was in the last chapter (I haven't mentioned it yet in this chapter). But no one has guessed correctly where the destination is. Obviously, as mentioned in this chapter, it's China. All these Chinese names and cities…getting confused yet? Let me know if you are. These are actual place names, by the way. I didn't make any of them up. You're probably wondering why I'm using inland China so much. It's because I want my fan fic to be different. Of all the CCS fan fics I've read, they either take place in Japan, Hong Kong, England, or the United States; never really inland China. This is why I mentioned before that I was doing research. The research is on the geography of China and landmarks and such. *laughs* My mom is really happy about all this research, even if it's just for a fic. Hmm…they go back in time…way back…Now who is this unnamed girl? Friend or foe? What do you think? 

Author's Note to sakurablossom: I don't live in Japan nor did I purchase the DVD there. I live in Canada and bought it at a store near where I live. It's a (Chinese) store called "Image and Sound". They sell a lot of anime-related stuff there like VCDs, DVDs, and CD Soundtracks. But most of the stuff is either in Japanese with Chinese subtitles or just Chinese. I really wish I knew exactly what they were saying. They have a couple of things with English subtitles, but never any of the stuff I'm looking for. I'm just surprised at how many copies of the CCS: second movie I've seen here in Canada. Sorry if this isn't really too helpful for you, sakurablossom. By the way, I've never read any Harry Potter books (boy, am I behind!). Who's Lord Voldemort?

*Sakura   
~The Animé Archives Team

   [1]: mailto:taateam@hotmail.com?subject=New Cards Fan Fic



	12. Water Breaks

The New Cards  ****

The New Cards 

Water Breaks: Chapter Twelve 

By: [Sakura][1]

The girl continued sobbing while the Card Captors exchanged uneasy glances with each other, unsure of what to say or do. Di Shang helped the girl stand up. "It's okay, don't worry about it," he said, reassuring her while setting her down on the side of the bed. "Just sit down here and dry your tears." The girl nodded miserably and ceased crying. "Talk to her, Sakura," whispered Di Shang as he pushed Syaoran out of the room to change into another temporary set of clothes. 

The girl had fallen silent by that time and Sakura sat down next to her. "You must hate me," said the girl quietly. "Or at least think I'm a clumsy fool or even…" 

Before she could put herself down any further, Sakura interrupted her, saying in an amiable tone, "My name is Kinomoto Sakura. "What's yours?" 

A look of surprise crossed the girl's face. "I'm Hwa Ming," she said slowly. 

"Your Japanese is pretty good," commented Sakura, continuing still with a friendly tone of voice. 

"Thank you," replied Hwa Ming, colouring lightly. She suddenly looked suspiciously at Sakura's direction. "Why are you being so nice to me, especially after what I did? What do you want? You're not going to report me to the manager are you?" 

"I don't want anything," said Sakura. "Anyway, I said it before, accidents happen. I'm sure you didn't mean to spill the food on Syaoran. I won't report any of this matter to the manager. It's just…you seem so lonely and upset. I just want to be friends with you. Is it hard; not being able to see?" 

Hwa Ming nodded in response. "But I wasn't always blind," she said. "In fact, I still had my sight just last week. I had been in Chongquig for the last few weeks and decided it was time to return home to my father. When I reached this city and approaching home, I was attacked from behind and knocked unconscious. When I woke up, I was here in this place and I learned I had lost my eyesight. Someone had sold me to be a servant here. The manager's really nasty, even when he's in a good mood. He just can't tolerate anything; especially me. I want to go home and see my father so much, but there's no way I can leave now, not in this condition. 

Di Shang and Syaoran had returned before Hwa Ming concluded her story and listened to the rest. Di Shang felt something in her story didn't make sense. "Hwa Ming," said Di Shang. "What did your attacker look like? Did you get a good glance at the person before you went unconscious?" Hwa Ming nodded. 

"He looked to be about fifteen or sixteen to me," she began. "With shoulder length black hair pulled in a ponytail and sharp midnight blue eyes. His robes were all pitch black, as dark as night, with intricate lines of dark blue around the hem and the sleeves and his expression held a smirk." Hwa Ming shuddered for a moment. "His laughter still rings in my ears." 

As Hwa Ming described her assailant, Sakura's eyes widened as she realized exactly whom Hwa Ming was talking about. It was Kam Un…it had to be! That meant he was also in the past, in this time period, just like them now! He must have used the Hour Card to go back, but why? And why Hwa Ming of all people? 

"Hwa Ming," said Sakura, rather impulsively. "Would you let us help you? We can help you find your way back home and maybe even cure your blindness." Syaoran glanced sharply at Sakura and before Hwa Ming could answer, he dragged Sakura out of the room. 

"Are you crazy?" he whispered angrily. "Making all these foolish promises? The chances of you successfully helping her are none! There's no way! Besides, we have to get to Xian and defeat Kam Un." 

"She needs someone's help," argued Sakura, also in a whisper. "She's working as a servant here; all because of Kam Un. I'm sure it's him who attacked her. And if it is, maybe she's blinded by a certain Jiao Card and we can save her sight by sealing it. And besides, she knows how to get to Chongquig. Isn't that one of the cities on the map Kam Un gave you?" 

"Chongquig?" repeated Syaoran, surprised. Sakura nodded. Syaoran hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do. 

"Please, Syaoran," pleaded Sakura, tears in her emerald eyes. "She doesn't seem to have a friend in the world. Will you help her?" 

Syaoran looked away, avoiding Sakura's eyes. He hated it when Sakura gave him that look because he knew he could never resist whatever she asked for. "All right," he muttered. Sakura cheered up immediately and threw her arms around Syaoran in a hug. Syaoran was too surprised to react and blushed hotly; which Sakura missed because she bounded back into the room excitedly. Syaoran followed her into the room and heard Sakura telling Hwa Ming the news. Hwa Ming listened in wonder to Sakura's words and her eyes filled with hope as a smile broke out on her face. She seemed so happy that someone was willing to help her, even if they were only total strangers. 

"It's like a dream come true," she murmured. "You mean it? I can really get my eyesight back?" Her eyes shimmered with tears at the thought and the smile on her face brightened up her previously sullen expression. 

"We'll start first thing tomorrow morning," confirmed Di Shang. 

Hwa Ming stood up and said, "Thank you, thank you, thank you. You don't know how grateful I am. And I'm so sorry about the mess, Syaoran." 

"Don't worry about it," he told her. Syaoran assisted her to the door and after she thanked him again, he watched as she slowly made her way down the dim hallway. He noted to himself that she was really pretty when she smiled. Sakura saw the look on Syaoran's face and suddenly an uncomfortable feeling stirred in her heart. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Aren't you sleepy, Sakura?" Sakura turned around and saw Di Shang. "Mind if I join you?" he asked. She shook her head wordlessly and Di Shang sat down by her side. Sakura had been sitting on the window-seat in their room, staring out into the dark city. Wuhan was very different at night; it was without all the bustling civilians found only in the daytime. Ruckus laughter drifted up into the air from the restaurant below but Sakura didn't feel much like laughing. For some reason, she felt sad and Di Shang, noticing it, felt he ought to cheer her up. Syaoran sat alone in a corner of the room opposite the window, sharpening his sword and silently brooding to himself, wondering how to beat Kam Un. 

Suddenly, they heard a scream coming from below, followed by a round of laughter. The three Card Captors bolted up and without a wasted second, they left their room and ran downstairs. Syaoran, in the lead, nearly slammed into a person standing by the staircase, but halted in time. At night, the restaurant was still busy, overcrowded with people, mostly men. Several of them seemed to be surrounding someone, laughing and jeering, and Syaoran, a sinking feeling in his chest, pushed his way through the crowd of people with Sakura and Di Shang following closely behind. In the center of all of them sat Hwa Ming, miserable and afraid, huddled close to the ground. Tears streaked her face and were in her sightless eyes. "What's going on?" Di Shang asked the man beside him. 

"That little girl tripped and spilt everything on the ground," replied the man through peals of laughter. "What a stupid girl; no sense of balance whatsoever. She can't do anything. All because she can't see anything." Around her, people taunted Hwa Ming with jeers and comments. Syaoran, enraged that Hwa Ming was being mistreated because of her lack of sight, felt anger ebb within him. He immediately made his way to Hwa Ming and stood by her side. 

"You all should be ashamed with yourselves," he shouted over the crowd. "Picking on a girl just because she can't see. It's not her fault." 

"Who do you think you are, kid?" sneered an older man. "You better leave before we send you back crying to your mommy." Syaoran whipped out his broadsword and slashed it down in front of the man. The man trembled as the blade neatly sliced through his robes, nearly scratching his skin. He backed away, eyes wide, no words leaving his mouth. 

"Anything else you'd like to add?" asked Syaoran coolly. The man turned and fled. 

"Hey, you little punk," said another man. "Don't try to spoil our fun. We can take you down anytime." Syaoran raised an eyebrow at the comment, as if he didn't believe him. Before the older man could react, Di Shang was by Syaoran's side, his sword also drawn. 

"I don't think you're capable of taking us _both_ down," he said calmly. "So why don't you leave the girl alone?" The man lunged at Di Shang but was knocked back with a swift kick and he tumbled into the wall. The other men backed away at the sight of two youngsters with very short hair. They knew their appearances were deceiving. No one else had a weapon of any kind so they turned and left, trashing the place on their way out. The Li cousins sheathed their swords and Syaoran walked over to Hwa Ming. 

"Let's go," he told her. "We're leaving right now." Hwa Ming nodded. 

"All right," she answered softly, wiping away her tears with the sleeve of her robes. "Thank you," she added. 

"Think nothing of it," said Di Shang. "Syaoran and I will go get our stuff. You stay with her, okay, Sakura?" 

"That's fine," replied Sakura. Sakura helped Hwa Ming up and the two girls gingerly made their way past the splintered tables and chairs. As they walked outside, Sakura heard heavy footfalls behind them. Hwa Ming was suddenly pushed roughly into the wall, slumping down, unconscious. "Hwa Ming!" cried Sakura. She turned around to see who hit her friend - only to be grabbed by the collar of her battle costume - and held up in the air. She saw it was the manager, the same sour-faced person who had served them at the counter earlier. He was large and physically strong; his hand was clenched tight around Sakura's collar. 

"What have you done to my store?" he bellowed. Sakura struggled in his grasp, trying to get him to release her. Finding that motion useless, she used one hand to take out her star key while the other reached into her pocket and produced a card; The Balance. 

"Balance Card," she choked out, still being shaken hard by the man. "Cause the ground beneath the manager to become unstable; release!" The Balance Card appeared in its true form, jester hat waving from side to side. It then dissolved into the ground and disappeared from sight. Suddenly, the small piece of land directly below the man began to quiver and shook back and forth, causing the man to lose balance and he lost his grip on Sakura. She landed in a crouch on the ground and put away the Balance Card while he landed flat on his back. Behind the fallen man, in the doorway, stood Di Shang, his lasin board drawn. 

"Sakura," he told her. "He possesses a Jiao Card. Seal it!" 

The manager groaned and sat up, rubbing his head. Sakura whirled her staff before her, crying, "Jiao Card, return to your power confined!" The card materialized before her and the manager, eyes rolling back, fainted. "The Intolerant?" she murmured. "What kind of a card is that?" Looking up from that card, she saw Di Shang and Syaoran standing there, Syaoran carrying the still unconscious Hwa Ming in his arms. Syaoran started to run down the street when several civilians came into view. 

"Let's go, Sakura," said Di Shang as he helped Sakura to her feet and they quickly followed his cousin. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Finding themselves at the harbour in Wuhan, the Card Captors selected a fairly isolated area before they stopped running. Syaoran propped Hwa Ming up against the wall while Di Shang took out his lasin board again. "Forces of the elements," he commanded. "Earth, Fire, Water, and Wind; show me the power that lines within. Reveal the Jiao!" A flash emitted from the board and a small beam of light touched Hwa Ming's forehead. Di Shang put the lasin board away. "It's definitely a Jiao Card there," he said. 

Syaoran nodded. Taking his sword, he thrust it in a downward motion, stopping just above Hwa Ming's forehead. "Blind Card; seal!" he cried. A black shadow emerged from Hwa Ming's eyes and transformed to its card form. Syaoran studied the card and had the greatest urge to rip it in half. This stupid little card had caused Hwa Ming so much misery…Instead, he handed the card over to Sakura to be changed to a Sakura Card. "We better find a place to sleep in for now," said Syaoran. His friends nodded. Syaoran looked back at the sleeping Hwa Ming. "You'll be all right," he said softly. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Hwa Ming sat up and stretched. Her eyelids blinked several times as they adjusted to the brightness of the daylight. "What a beautiful blue sky…" she murmured as she stood up, walking to the window. The sun shone brightly in the morning sky. Not a cloud was in sight. "I wonder where I am…I thought I was at a restaurant…Aah!" 

At the sound of Hwa Ming's screech, the Card Captors bolted awake. "Wha…?" mumbled Syaoran sleepily. "What was that?" They looked up to see Hwa Ming staring at her hands, her arms, her body, and then at them. Her eyes were wide open, filled with fear. 

"Who are you?" she asked them, trembling slightly. 

Syaoran stood up and approached her slowly. "It's me, Hwa Ming," he said. "Syaoran. And Sakura and Di Shang." Hwa Ming's face broke out with a smile of relief when she recognized his voice. 

"Syaoran!" she cried, jumping into his arms and hugging him. She had moved so fast that Syaoran hadn't time to react. "It is you! I can see again! I can see, I can see, I can see!" She paused a moment and studied his face. "You know," she said. "You're really handsome up close." Syaoran reddened at the comment while Sakura seethed inwardly. She tried to stop the feeling of jealousy, but it wasn't easy. Who wouldn't be happy that their sight had returned? She would have been, too. Hwa Ming was no exception. But to say Syaoran was…She tried to erase Hwa Ming's words and Syaoran's blush from her mind. 

"If I can do anything for you, Syaoran," continued Hwa Ming. "To thank you for all your help, let me know; don't hesitate to ask. After all, you defended me against those clients of the manager back at the store and now you've set me free." Her eyes shimmered with tears. "No one has ever done that for me." 

"First things first," replied Syaoran with a gentle smile. "We have to help you look for your father." 

"That shouldn't be much of a problem," said Hwa Ming. "Where are we now?" 

"Wuhan Harbour." 

"Perfect!" she responded. "I know exactly how to get home from here." She turned to face the other Card Captors as well. "Let me go home, see my father, and then I'll meet back with you here in an hour. Okay?" Syaoran was about to object, but Di Shang interrupted him. 

"That's a good idea, Hwa Ming," he said. "Go see your father." 

"I'll be back soon," she promised and left quickly. Syaoran turned to face his cousin. 

" What are you thinking?" he asked. "What if Kam Un strikes again? She'll be alone, and vulnerable." 

"She'll be all right," answered Di Shang. "If Kam Un _did_ actually show up again, his aura will easily be traced and besides, he rarely attacks in broad daylight." Syaoran assented, though rather crossly. "What we need to do right now is to find an experienced boatman to take us down the Yangtze River," said Di Shang. "I had asked around last night in the restaurant and was told the best person to go to is Wong Kin Lam." He held up a little map. "And I got directions to his business location. Let's seek him out and hope he'll be able to give us passage to Chongquig." The other Card Captors nodded and went to look for Wong Kin Lam. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Master Wong, you have some visitors." An elderly man motioned for the boy who had spoken to bid the visitors entry and the servant bowed and nodded. He walked back outside to where three oddly dressed young children stood and ushered them inside. 

"What do you seek?" he asked them. 

"We'd like a passage to Chongquig," spoke a tall boy wearing dark green robes and a hat to match. His - and his friends - way of dressing was extremely bizarre to him. "We were told to seek you out for you would be our best guide." 

Wong Kin Lam took off his glasses, wiped them and then put them back on. He then stood up, walking around his table and standing before the boy. "And what is your name?" he asked. 

"I am Li Xiao Lang," he responded, though his face held a guarded expression. 

"Chongquig, hmm?" repeated the man. "I am probably too old now to ferry people across the Yangtze River…" 

Syaoran's face almost appeared crestfallen. "So you can't-" Kin Lam held up a hand to interrupt him. 

"I never said it wasn't possible," he said. "I cannot ferry you, but I know someone who can." He snapped his fingers and his servant nodded, immediately understanding what he wanted. He turned and left the room. Kin Lam then gestured to the chairs before his table. "Have a seat," he said. "And we can discuss the details." The Card Captors slowly sat down while Kin Lam seated himself back in his chair. 

"You wanted to see me father?" came a voice from behind them. Syaoran, Sakura, and Di Shang turned around and their eyes widened. Kin Lam signalled for the girl to enter and she slowly walked in. When she caught sight of her father's current clients, her jaw dropped. 

"Syaoran!" 

"Hwa Ming!" 

Kin Lam looked between his daughter and Syaoran. It was obvious they knew each other. "Well, since you're both already acquainted, introductions won't be necessary. Hwa Ming," he said, looking at his daughter. I need you to take these three people to Chongquig. Can you handle it?" Hwa Ming nodded, giving him a reassuring smile. 

"Of course I can, father," she said. "I've done it dozens of times already. It's only…I just got home; and I missed you." 

Kin Lam patted Hwa Ming on the head gently. "You can take a break after you return. There's just no one else to do this; with your brothers all out on jobs already. You be careful and you can decide the fare to be charged." 

"I'll do my best, father," said Hwa Ming. "I'll see you again in about a fortnight. Come on, Syaoran, let's go." Syaoran nodded and followed her out of the room. Sakura and Di Shang weren't far behind. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Why didn't you tell us?" asked Syaoran. Hwa Ming shrugged. 

"So I ferry people around the Yangtze," she said. "It's no big deal. I didn't think it was an important detail to mention." She untied the rope connected the boat to the pier and rolled it up. "Let's get going," she said. 

Sakura sat by the edge of the small boat in the very front, staring into the brownish waters. The Yangtze River had this colour water because of all the sand and mud beneath. But still it was one of the most travelled waterways in China. Di Shang was also at the edge, his face turning really pale. The boat they were using was not very big at all and he could feel his stomach churning. Syaoran was temporarily taking control of the paddles in the back while Hwa Ming was mixing something. She then walked to Di Shang and gave it to him. 

"This should make you feel better," she told him. Di Shang accepted it gratefully and downed the mixture quickly. He felt relief in his stomach as he handed the cup back to Hwa Ming. 

"Thank you very much," he said. Hwa Ming nodded with a smile and rejoined Syaoran in the back. Sakura's eyes followed Hwa Ming as she sat with Syaoran and took up the second paddle and watched as they rowed together. An iron fist clenched around her heart when she heard them sharing a laugh. Syaoran rarely, if ever, laughed. And yet now he laughed so easily, like it was a regular occurrence… 

The watercraft contained four oars for rowing. On most calm days, one or two paddlers were needed at most, just for a little direction. On the days the water grew rough, two people would be needed to row in the front and two in the back. In between the front and the back was a sort of living area. There were mats and soft rugs piled on the ground, shaded by a roof. There was only enough space for two people to sleep at any given time. 

Since Wuhan was a well-populated harbour, many other boats could be seen. Some much bigger than theirs, others much smaller. Several people waved to Hwa Ming as they passed by and she waved back to them with a smile. Then she went back to chatting amiably with Syaoran. Sakura looked away, back at the waters, trying to hide the tears in her eyes. Di Shang had watched the whole scene in a glance and knew exactly what troubled the Card Mistress. He did agree with Meiling that if Syaoran didn't do anything soon, he would lose Sakura…but then again, it was all the better for him. It would be Syaoran's fault and his loss. 

A hand gently wiped away Sakura's tears and she turned around…only to come face-to-face with Di Shang, their faces stopping only an inch apart. "Those sad tears don't suit you, Sakura," he said softly. "There's nothing I love more than to see your smile." When Hwa Ming had turned her full attention to her oar, Syaoran scowled inwardly at his cousin. How dare he! How could he…Hwa Ming's voice broke through his thoughts and he pretended to act as amiably as he had earlier, but it was getting harder and harder as he watched his cousin get closer to Sakura. 

A tear that Di Shang had missed rolled off Sakura's cheek and dropped into the water. Suddenly, two cards flew out of Sakura's pocket and an explosion ensued beside the boat. Di Shang had pulled Sakura away from the edge immediately before and protected her with himself. Water sprayed everywhere, drenching them. But it wasn't a smooth spray of water…this was hard and sharp, cutting into their skin. When the water stopped showering, Di Shang and Sakura looked up. Before them floated two cards; The Showers and The Oceanid. Their seals had been broken! 

"What is that?" Hwa Ming asked Syaoran. 

"Two Jiao Cards have broken free," replied Syaoran. 

"Two what?" 

"Look out!" cried Sakura. The Oceanid brought a huge wave of water down upon the tiny craft and snapped the boat in two. Suddenly, the sky darkened with black storm clouds, brought on by The Showers. It began to pour heavily. The Card Captors and Hwa Ming caught hold of whatever planks of wood was left from the boat, to keep themselves afloat. Sakura was a good swimmer - and so were the rest - but being weighted down with your robes, drenched to the bone, and having pouring rain come down upon your head didn't exactly make it easy for anyone to swim. The waves continued to get rougher and the rest of the boat had been completely destroyed by the waters. 

"I've never seen rain showers this intense!" cried Hwa Ming over the roaring storm. 

"It's not natural," replied Syaoran, not far from her. "This is created out of magic. That's what the Jiao Cards do." Hwa Ming still didn't understand exactly what Syaoran meant but this wasn't the time for explanations. "Stay close, Sakura!" yelled Syaoran. "Don't let yourself get separated from us by the cards." 

"I'm trying!" responded Sakura. Di Shang swam over to her, with his plank in tow, and held her hand tight. 

"Don't let go," he said. "We don't want to lose you." Sakura nodded. Her hair was plastered to her face and her clothes clung to her body. But her emerald eyes shone out, determination clear to be seen. 

"We've beaten these cards before," she said. "And we're not letting this minor setback stop us from doing it again. 

Di Shang smiled. "That's the Sakura I know," he said. Sakura was about to take out her star key when another jet of water blasted her. Her hand slipped away from Di Shang's and she landed far away from him; far from the others as well. "Sakura!" shouted Di Shang. 

The Showers forced the storm clouds to grow pitch-black as more and more rain fell. The waves now became very choppy and Sakura held on tightly to her small plank of wood to stay afloat. "How did these cards escape?" she wondered. "Why _do_ they keep breaking their seal?" She felt herself growing tired, though she didn't know why. She forced her eyes to stay open. She had to stay awake. 

"How can I keep them from returning to Jiao Cards?" she wondered. "And if I can't, which cards would be next?" She shivered partly at the thought of the Ghastly Card breaking loose, and partly because she was getting very cold. 

Suddenly, the plank Sakura had hung on to splintered and fell apart. The rain poured harder above her and the waves forced her to go under. "Sakura!" cried her friends as the waters carried them away. They tried swimming to her but were constantly swept back. Sakura slowly sank deeper and deeper below the depths of the river, unable to beat the currents, or the combined attack by The Showers and The Oceanid. As she continued to fall, her mind slowly blacked out into a merciful darkness. 

Author's Note: I'm surprised I managed to finish this chapter so soon. I mean, amidst all my projects and essays. I have a history essay that's worth 15% of my mark that I've barely worked on. And the other 15% is for…Oh no! Moopz! Our history presentation!! *sweatdrops* We're doomed…-_-*   
*sighs* A lot of people don't seem to like the little S + D moments I put in. But the S + S moments are usually much more significant. Remember, the S + D are only little ones …Anyway, that _could_ change. Here's why: how would you like to help me out with something? Notice how Sakura's alone when she gets separated from the others? That's because you, yes, you - the readers, get to choose whom Sakura's will be with later in the chapter, if any. The possibilities are a) Di Shang, b) Hwa Ming, c) Syaoran, or d) she's alone throughout. If I don't get any feedback on this matter, I'll just choose a person to be with Sakura and believe me, it's not going to be Syaoran if I choose it. *laughs evilly* I'm kidding…I'm not really evil. But I'm definitely not choosing Syaoran myself. So voice your opinion today! ^_^ 

*Sakura   
~The Animé Archives Team

   [1]: mailto:taateam@hotmail.com?subject=New Cards Fan Fic



	13. More Prophecies

The New Cards 

**The New Cards **

More Prophecies: Chapter Thirteen 

By: [Sakura][1]

Fighting against the current, Syaoran and Di Shang pushed their way through the rough waters, ignoring Hwa Ming's calls. "I have to get to Sakura," thought Di Shang. 

Talking silently to himself through gritted teeth, Syaoran said, "I can't let her down…not now, not ever. I can't lose her again." With these thoughts in mind, he dove into the water, searching for the Card Mistress. Di Shang was about to dive as well, but he was suddenly separated from his cousin by a huge wave created by The Oceanid. The waves crashed down upon his head and forced him under. Di Shang swam underwater with the current and surfaced again. The night air was calm again…no, he was just out of reach of the Jiao Cards. The Showers had created a water barrier around the area he had last been in and the rough currents were impossible to swim through. He let himself be pulled along the current, hoping his cousin could do what he unable to do. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Syaoran had seen his cousin being pushed away, but could do nothing to help him. He had to find Sakura before she drowned in the watery depths of the Yangtze River. His head turned this way and that, looking for her. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted her, slowly drifting away. The usually sparkling emerald eyes he loved were nowhere to be seen for her eyelids had been shut tight. She was falling, being pushed deeper and deeper. "No!" his mind screamed out. "Sakura!" He swam faster toward her but was suddenly cut off. The Oceanid Card appeared before him, grinning at the Card Captor as it blocked his way. Syaoran's fists clenched tight. 

"I won't let you defeat me…" he thought. He reached into his pocket and pulled out three charms. He flung one with great force ahead of him and held another in his hand. The first charm was moved past the Jiao Card and landed on the Card Mistress's sleeve. Chanting a short spell, the first charm turned into a bubbly orb that completely encased Sakura within it. The one in Syaoran's hand did the same for him. He steadied himself inside the sphere and breathed deeply; water could not penetrate those orbs. He needed this shield in order to use his next charm. Whipping out his sword, he thrust the flat of the blade against the charm. "Lightning! Strike!" he cried. The lightning flew forward and surrounded The Oceanid, nearly frying it with its intense energy. The Oceanid withdrew immediately, unable to protect itself from such an attack. 

His vision becoming hazy, Syaoran dropped his sword and collapsed in the bubble. Using two shield spells and a lightning spell at once stole a lot of energy away from him. His head hit the side of the sphere and he fainted with the one thought, "I'm sorry, Sakura. I failed you. Again…". Mysteriously, the two orbs continued to flow with the water - neither puncturing at all - staying completely intact. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Hwa Ming scanned the waters for her friends, worried to distraction that her friends had perished in the rough waters. "It's all my fault," she whispered. "I was supposed to take care of them. It's all my fault." Looking up, she spotting something - or someone - floating in the distance. It was Di Shang. He allowed the waters to wash him up onto the shore and sat down, panting and trying to catch his breath. "Di Shang!" cried Hwa Ming, running towards him. Di Shang turned to the source of the sound and smiled with relief when he saw Hwa Ming was alive. 

"Are you okay?" he asked her when she arrived. Hwa Ming nodded. 

"Where is Syaoran? And Sakura?" she asked 

Di Shang looked off into the far distance, at the direction he had just came through. The sky was bright blue and the sun shone clearly. There wasn't a cloud in sight. His shoulders slumped forward slightly as he stared at the ground. "They must still be trapped back there," he said gravely. "Either that or they're…" Hwa Ming's hands flew up and covered her month when she gasped. She looked over the calm waterway of the Yangtze and wondered how that river could possibly have raged as fiercely as it had hours ago. 

"Di Shang?" she said after a pause. "Can you tell me something?" Di Shang nodded, waiting for her question. "What are the Jiao Cards?" 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Eyelids fluttering open, Sakura forced herself into a sitting position, holding her head with one hand. Looking about her, she found herself on a sandy bank. She was all alone. Tears welled up in her eyes but she forced them away - yet a few drops trickled down her eyelashes and onto the ground. A cold wind blew by and she shivered in her thin battle costume. The robes had been made more for ease and manoeuvrability, not for warmth. 

Sakura slowly stood up, and walked unsteadily on her two shaky legs. For some reason, she seemed to have lost a lot of energy. On the sleeve of her robes, she found an incantation paper, like the ones used by Syaoran and Di Shang, and wondered briefly how she got it. But as she took a few more steps forward, the ground felt like it was shaking beneath her and her vision blurred. She fell to the ground in a faint, lost in the darkness. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Sakura!" 

Syaoran wandered around, his hands cupped around his mouth, shouting "Sakura!" Even since he had washed up on the shore, he had gone in search for Sakura. Where could she possibly be? China was a very big country and he was having a difficult time finding her. His energy level was dangerously low - he was unable to use any magic for the time being - and he was on the verge of collapsing. For the last few moments, he ran only on adrenaline…and his promise. But he knew that he could not keep pushing himself like this without causing more damage to himself. He had to find her…and soon. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"How about another Jiao Card?" asked Kam Un. The older man sighed and yawned with boredom. 

"Might as well," he replied. "They're not doing anything interesting." He lifted his hand and a card flew out from the deck and floated before Kam Un. "Use this one this time. If she seals it, it proves she does have more power than I originally thought. If she doesn't, then good riddance to another weakling." 

Kam Un nodded in response as he took the card. "I'll put it to work right away, Master." 

~*~*~*~*~*~

While stumbling along and only looking through half-closed eyes, Syaoran tripped and tumbled down a small grassy hill, landing face-down on the sand. He groaned inwardly as he lay there. His shoulder muscles relaxed and slumped downward. He just didn't have the energy anymore. Abruptly, out of nowhere, he sensed another presence…but it was one that was dying down, one with even less energy than he had. Slowly lifting his head, Syaoran caught sight of another figure lying in the sand, a few metres before him. His heart caught in his throat as he realized who it was. Sakura! Suddenly, he was energized again and he got up and ran to her side. 

He immediately checked for Sakura's pulse and sighed with relief when he found it, though it was faint and rather unsteady. He looked her over, and found his charm had done its job. As he studied the sleeping Card Mistress, he noticed her long eyelashes glimmered with tears caught in them, tears that had yet to fall. "Was she crying?" wondered Syaoran, also seeing the drops that had fallen on the sand. Out of nowhere, grey clouds pulled together and began to rumble loudly. It was going to rain; but this time it wasn't because of The Showers. Gathering Sakura in his arms, Syaoran chose to put most of his energy into using his magic to find them a shelter. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Not far away stood Kam Un, watching the scene with pure distaste. He liked watching them in action, not like this. This was so dull. As he flipped over the card in his hand, his mouth curved up into a smile. "Let's see how well the Card Mistress can handle this one," he said to himself. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Leaning Sakura against the cave wall, Syaoran plopped down beside her, his energy spent. He felt so tired, and wanted to go to sleep…looking over at the Card Mistress' sleeping form, Syaoran realized something. He didn't want to sleep; no, he wanted to hold Sakura in his arms and tell her he…loved her. A smile broke out on his face. He could admit it now, even to himself! He, Li Syaoran, loved the Card Mistress, Kinomoto Sakura! He had known it all along. This was why he didn't want her to get hurt, this was why he made all those crazy promises to protect her. This was what Meiling had told him all the time, he just never listened… 

Sakura shivered slightly as she sat in the damp cave and Syaoran seeing this, pulled her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her protectively. She immediately stopped shivering and relaxed in his arms, a tiny smile of content alighting her face. 

Syaoran gazed down at her with a smile. He couldn't wait until she awoke so he could tell her…tell her how he felt toward her. He then frowned momentarily. The question was, did Sakura love him back? Years ago, he thought she did and he nearly told her then. But he had lost the chance and returned to Hong Kong without saying a word. Had he lost her because of his foolishness? 

Hanging his head slightly, Syaoran spoke softly into Sakura's ear. "All the time we've captured Clow Cards, you and I were rivals, always fighting for the same thing; for cards and for love. It took me so long to realize you had captured something else along the way, and without meaning to. In that innocent way of yours, you've opened my eyes and shown me the way, shown my heart how I could be. You saw things in me that I never believed to be there before. And you know what, Kinomoto Sakura? You're the only one that can truly make me happy - the only one in my heart. Wake up soon, so I can tell this to you, face-to-face. Because…you're my cherry blossom." Syaoran's eyelids, already drooping, closed and he fell asleep resting against the cave wall, Sakura in his arms. The rain gently pattered to the ground outside. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Sakura was running; running toward something. Tears were in her eyes, like she had been crying. It was dark all around her and she couldn't see anything. Nothing; except for the figure before her. As she neared the person, she saw Syaoran's face, clear as a bell. He stood there, looking away, but when he heard her approaching, he turned to face her, his arms opened wide, an almost cheerful smile on his face. The moment she reached him, his strong arms wrapped around her in a protective hug and he twirled her around once before setting her back on the ground. Sakura smiled happily for, in his arms, she always felt safe. "Syaoran!" she cried. "I thought I'd never see you again!" 

"Sakura…" said Syaoran hesitantly. "I…" Suddenly he vanished and Sakura was alone again. Sakura whirled around in the darkness, searching for him. 

"Syaoran?" she called. "Where are you?" Then she saw him, he was lying on the ground, completely motionless. She ran to him and knelt by his side. "Syaoran," she cried, shaking his shoulders. "Are you okay?" As she continued shaking him, a hand abruptly flew up and clenched her arm tightly. Sakura gasped aloud and tried pulling her arm away, but the grip remained firm. When she looked up, Syaoran had already sat up and it was he who had caught hold of her. "Syaoran?" she asked. Unexpectedly, Kam Un appeared in his place and his grip tightened around her arm, twisting it painfully behind her and pushing her to the ground, her arm still pinned behind her. 

"You think you can get away so easily, don't you, Card Mistress?" he hissed. He used his free hand and drew a card from his pocket. "The Jiao can't be defeated, not by weaklings like you." He placed the card flat on Sakura's back and the card glowed. Sakura screamed as a searing pain rippled through her body. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Sakura's scream pierced the air and echoed throughout the cave. 

Woken by the sound, Syaoran sat up immediately. Sakura was screaming and struggling in his grip. "Let me go! Let me go!" she cried. But Syaoran didn't let her go. Her eyes were still closed. She was still dreaming. 

Still holding her tight, he tried to calm her down. "Sakura," said Syaoran. "Wake up! It's only a dream! It's me, Syaoran! Whatever's hurting you, don't let it affect you. You have to fight it. Come on, Sakura!" Tears were streaming down Sakura's face as she continued to cry out with pain. Managing to get her arms free, Sakura pushed Syaoran away and curled up on the ground, still shaking violently. Syaoran tried to calm her again, but then Sakura spoke aloud in her sleep. 

"Syaoran! Where did you go?" she cried. "I can't fight…this…alone…anymore……Ah!" She was still doubling over in pain. Syaoran swept Sakura into his arms and held her tight, refusing to let her go again. 

"Sakura!" he shouted. "Get a grip of yourself! It's only a dream! Don't let it affect you! I'm right here; right by your side. I'll never leave your side because I always promised I'd protect you. Please, Sakura, you have to wake up!" Sakura quieted down, but only because the pain had subsided. Syaoran's words still could not penetrate the deep barrier set by the Jiao Card in Sakura's mind. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Where am I now?" wondered Sakura. She found herself in a dark, black room. She was alone again. As she tried to stand up, she saw that her arms and legs were shackled to the wall. She was unable to move more than a few inches away from it. "Who could have done this?" she murmured aloud. 

"I did." 

Sakura looked up and saw Kam Un standing before her. He had a wide smirk on his face. "I wonder if you still remember someone, Card Mistress," he said, pointing to the opposite wall of the room. Sakura followed his gaze and saw another person stood chained to the wall like her. 

"Syaoran!" she cried, jumping forward, pulling herself as close as she could to him with her chains. She did not get very far. Syaoran looked up at her, a saddened expression on his face. 

"Goodbye, Sakura…" he whispered. Seconds following those words, Kam Un lifted his staff and struck Syaoran with a black orb of energy. Syaoran took the hit hard and dropped to his knees, completely motionless. A little bit of blood trickled over the lip of his mouth. His hair covered his eyes, the cool amber ones that she had grown to love. 

"No!" cried Sakura. "Syaoran!" It was like her heart was ripped away from her. Kam Un laughed and faded to the background as Sakura continued to weep bitter tears. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"No! Syaoran!" 

Syaoran was at a loss for actions. He didn't know what to do. His words…they just weren't waking her up. And whatever dream Sakura was having, it was tearing her apart. She was now crying uncontrollably. "What's happening in her mind?" he thought. "Something is in there; something's hurting. Just like the Forget Card had done once." He took out her Sakura Cards and quickly scanned though them. The Forget Card was still there. "So it didn't break free…then what is the card hurting Sakura?" Syaoran removed his arms from around Sakura and instead held her head in them, forcing her to look at him. Her eyelids were open now, but they saw nothing. Tears continued to stream down her cheeks. 

"Sakura," he whispered. "It's me, Syaoran. I'm right here; can't you hear me? Can't you feel my presence, my aura? Speak to me, Sakura. Not to the person you see in your mind, but the real me. The one holding you at this very moment…" 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Sakura…" 

Sakura looked up from the ground and the Syaoran that had been before her vanished. The image of him disintegrated. Instead, she heard him calling her. "I'm right here…" 

"Syaoran?" she whispered. "Is it really you? Help me!" 

"I'm trying to, Sakura," he replied. "Believe in me…place your trust in me again. I'll always be here for you…you know that…deep down in your heart, you know that…" Sakura closed her eyes and clasped her hands together. 

"I do…" she murmured. "I do believe in you…" Opening her eyes, she looked up and saw someone's hands reached toward her. She reached out with her own hands and the other pair clasped them gently. 

"Wake up, Sakura." 

Sakura's eyelids opened and she blinked several times, trying to adjust her eyes to the light, or lack of. When she could finally see her surroundings clearly again, she found herself face-to-face with Syaoran. He was holding her head close to his head and her hands were gripped tightly to his arms. She was so close that she could see the relief in his eyes. 

Syaoran gazed down at her with soft amber eyes. She had finally woken up and her nightmares had disappeared. She was so close to him, he just wanted to bend down and kiss her. As their eyes met, both Card Captors suddenly blushed when they realized how close they stood together. Sakura released her grip on Syaoran's arms while he released the grip on her face. Both avoided each other's gaze and stood in an awkward position. Syaoran then ventured to take a sidelong glance at Sakura. Tears still sparkled in her emerald-green eyes and an expression of fear was seen clearly in them. 

"Are you okay, Sakura?" he asked her quietly. Sakura turned and looked at him slowly before nodding. 

"I'm all right now," she answered, just as quietly. Syaoran permitted a smile on his face. 

"I'm glad." They both fell silent again. "Sakura," said Syaoran after a few minutes. "What were you dreaming about? It was so difficult to wake you up." Syaoran nearly jumped back with surprise when Sakura leapt into his arms. She was crying again. 

"I was so scared," she whispered. "I thought I'd never see you again. I thought you had died…" Sakura buried her head in Syaoran's chest and he held her close to him in a secure embrace. "I was all alone…and then I saw you. You welcomed me with open arms and you were about to say something when you disappeared. And then you were just lying on the ground. When I went to you, you transformed to Kam Un and he pinned me down. All I can remember after that was a sharp pain rippling through me. It was completely unbearable." 

Syaoran continued to caress Sakura's hair soothingly as she shed her tears. "That's why she screamed…" thought Syaoran. "Her dreams were so vivid that she physically experienced them outside of her dreams." 

"The last thing I saw was Kam Un," she continued. "He used his staff and created a black energy ball, which he shot at you. You were dying…and I couldn't do anything to help you…What if it comes true? I…" Her words were caught in her throat. She stopped and closed her eyes. The images created in her dreams continued to stick in her mind. 

"Sakura." 

Sakura looked up apprehensively and relaxed when she saw Syaoran. "It was only a dream," he said. "Don't let yourself believe in them. That's what Kam Un wants. We can't let him win." He held up his arm and taking her hand, he made her pinch him. "See? I'm right here. I won't leave you. Not like that." 

"Do you…promise?" she asked softly. Syaoran nodded. 

"I promise." 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Sakura! Syaoran!" 

"Where are you?" 

Hwa Ming dropped her arms to her side. "It's no use," she thought. "We'll never find them." When she looked over to Di Shang to tell him, she could see the determination in his eyes. 

"Any luck?" Di Shang asked her as Hwa Ming approached him. Hwa Ming shook her head sadly. Di Shang clenched his fists tight then continued to call for them. "Syaoran! Sakura!" 

"Di Shang?" The boy paused and looked at Hwa Ming. "Something puzzles me," she said. "Tell me something, is Sakura your wife?" Di Shang fell back with surprise. 

"What?" He exclaimed. "My _wife_?!" Hwa Ming nodded. "No…she's not," said Di Shang. He raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think that?" 

"Where I'm from," she said. "And every place I've been to, I've never seen a male care so much for a female." She studied him carefully. "But you - and Syaoran - are different. You treat Sakura like she's your equal, maybe even better, and you treat me like I was your equal, too. Why is that?" 

Di Shang realized that in different time periods, people acted differently. He remembered that men always held a much higher status than women during this time. "It's just how we were brought up," he answered. "We've been taught to think that everyone that is not a clan Elder is our equal. Though we have also been taught anyone with less magical powers or none at all should be treated like they were below us. But I've just never picked that up. Syaoran sort of did before, but he's changed now…Sakura has changed him." 

"You love her, don't you?" added Hwa Ming. "And Syaoran does, as well, doesn't he?" 

Di Shang chuckled. "You're pretty observant," he commented. 

"We women have to be." 

Nodding, Di Shang agreed with her. "We guys have to be, too, you know." He shifted the weight of the backpacks he carried. "Come on, let's continue looking for them." Hwa Ming nodded and they started their search again. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Do you feel better, Sakura?" Sakura looked up at Syaoran and nodded shyly. 

"Thank you, Syaoran," she said. "I don't know what I'd do without your support." Moments after Sakura had first awoken, both Card Captors fell asleep again, this time into a dreamless one. Both woke up refreshed, their energy restored. "Let's go find the others." Syaoran nodded. 

The rain had stopped hours ago and the sun shone brightly. Syaoran and Sakura ventured out of the small cave and into the bright light. Sakura smiled at Syaoran and her light rivalled that of the sun. "Ready to recapture those Jiao Cards?" she asked him. 

Syaoran nodded in response. "Sakura," he started. "Before we go, I…I wanted to…to tell you that…" 

"You need to prepare for your fate!" 

The two Card Captors turned around abruptly. Floating just above the entrance of the cave sat Kam Un. He appeared to be sitting on the air. He jumped off the seemingly empty air and landed before them, a card appearing in his hand at the same time. It was the one he had just been using; The Suspend, an equivalent to The Float. Syaoran stood in front of Sakura in a flash. "What do you want, Jiao user?" he growled in a low tone. 

Kam Un smirked at the tone. "I merely want my card back," he replied airily. "Prophet Card, return!" he ordered. A grey, mist-like shadow flew out of Sakura's mind and floated toward Kam Un. Syaoran saw this and immediately called for Sakura to take action. 

"Seal the card, Sakura!" he cried. 

"Right!" responded Sakura. Releasing her star key, she commanded, "Return to your true form, Prophet Card!" Before the Jiao Card could reach the user, the cards' shadows disappeared and encased itself into its card form. Kam Un smiled inwardly. That meant the Card Mistress had regained her strength and energy. Good, good…all the better…He pretended to scowl angrily. 

"Don't start overestimating yourself just because you've sealed another one of my cards, Card Mistress," he sneered. "You'll lose it all sooner or later." Kam Un slowly began to disappear. "One last thing, Card Captors," he said. "The Prophet Card is never wrong…be wary of its powers." With that said he disappeared from sight. 

"The Prophet Card?" repeated Sakura in a whisper. She looked down at the new Sakura Card in her hand. Her mouth went dry. "No…It…it can't be…It can't come true…" She squeezed her eyes shut at the thought of Syaoran dy- 

Feeling a hand on her shoulder, Sakura looked up. Syaoran was watching her with concern, but he still kept a reassuring look in his eye. "I'm not going to die, Sakura," he said. "Don't worry about it. Kam Un is just trying to play tricks with you. Your destiny is created by you and what you do. It's not controlled but one stupid little Jiao Card." Sakura nodded and hugged him. Syaoran didn't pull back; instead, he held her close to him. 

"I don't know what I'd do if anything ever happened to you," whispered Sakura. 

"I don't know either…" thought Syaoran. "Come on," he said gruffly, trying to hide his emotions. "Let's go find the others." Sakura started up a little footpath. "Wait." Sakura turned around and looked at him curiously. 

"What is it, Syaoran?" she asked him. "Is something wrong?" 

"Sakura, I…uh…I…" he stuttered for a moment. His courage was lost again. He forced a smile on his face. "I just forgot my hat. I'll be right back." As he picked up his hat, he cursed himself. "You're so stupid, Syaoran," he said to himself. "You know you love her now, so why can't you tell her?" 

Author's Note: Boy, am I ever in a good mood! I was just flipping around different scenes in the CCS second movie on my DVD, thinking, "how am I ever going to understand this? Pretty much the only word I know is watashi…and also names don't count." Then I was thinking of turning on Chinese subtitles - though I can barely understand that, as well - and what do I find? There are English subtitles, too! *smacks side of head* I never saw it until now, and I've watched the movie at least three times! (I've watched the ending at least ten times. ^_~ I love it! It's so sweet…) Maybe I'll type out the DVD English script and post it on my site. But I'm not sure if it's entirely accurate, thought…it's good enough! =) 

  
Since the chapter got cut short again, I'm going to continue with the S + S flavour into the next chapter. Happy about that? ^_^ 

  
Can you believe I know exactly what's going to happen in the last few chapters of this fic (though I still have a long way to go) but I have no clue what will happen in the chapter after the next one? *sighs* Do you want me to shorten my fic and get right to the end after the next chapter or do you still want me to write more before I get to the ending chapters? You're the readers; it's your choice. Let me know what you think, please. It would help me out a lot. 

Three cheers to atros for choosing Di Shang as a first choice for this chapter! I'm glad someone actually thought of choosing him. Of course, there were more votes for S + S so…sorry, Di Shang. 

  
Thank you very much, Yumie-chan, for giving me the Japanese chants. I'll use those from now on *smiles*. I sort of had no choice but to use the ones in the American version because that's pretty much the only one I've heard. I don't have a translator that can translate Japanese or Chinese for me o_O. Wish I did. 

  
To whoever wrote that review: Me?! Hate Sakura and/or Syaoran?! *giggles* I've never been asked that! If I hated either of those two characters, I don't think I'd be writing a fan fic involving them as main characters, now would I? Nor would I be writing under the penname: Sakura_Kinomoto. ^_~ 

Author's Note to SakuraBubbles: Offense? None taken. You don't like the names? My reason for using "two names" is quite simple, really. In Chinese, most names are three words (there are some exceptions, but I won't get into them now). I'll use's Syaoran's Chinese (version) name as an example. The first word is the surname, like "Li". The second and third is their given name "Xiao Lang". Together, it's Li Xiao Lang. Two words, one name. Therefore, they're actually not two names, but one. I'd prefer to not put the two words together because some of them look a little weird to me, e.g. Dishang. So, for the so-called "two name" thing, since all of my original characters so far are Chinese…well, you can see why. It's my way of writing Chinese names and I don't think I'll be altering that. 

Thanks for voting, everyone! =) Have you noticed these "Author's Notes" get longer and longer? *sweatdrops* Does anyone actually read them? They're so long…o_O Review with a ~ if you did! ^_^ 

*Sakura   
~The Animé Archives Team

   [1]: mailto:taateam@hotmail.com?subject=New%20Cards%20Fan%20Fic



	14. Breaking Ground

The New Cards 

**The New Cards **

Breaking Ground: Chapter Fourteen 

By: [][1]Sakura

"Lightning! Strike!" 

With his sword drawn in front of him, Di Shang retreated with Hwa Ming beside him while The Oceanid and The Showers continued to advance. Lightning flew out from the sword and attacked the Oceanid, but the Showers Card, changing to its visible form snatched the sword out of Di Shang's hand and threw it away, hitting the ground with a clatter. Di Shang pushed Hwa Ming behind him as the two Jiao Cards loomed overhead. 

"Return to your true form! Jiao Card!" Suddenly, The Oceanid disappeared. The Showers looked around for its ally, but could not find it. Startled to find itself alone, The Showers retreated and tried to flee; instead coming face-to-face with the Card Mistress. Raising her staff above her head, Sakura cried, "Return to your true form! Showers Card!" Before the Jiao Card could budge another inch, it disappeared into its card form. Sakura sighed with relief and put the card away. She turned to her friends, a big smile on her face. "Are you guys okay?" she asked. Hwa Ming nodded gratefully. 

Di Shang walked to Sakura wordlessly and hugged her. Sakura blushed lightly while Syaoran scowled and looked away. If only he had told her… 

"I'm relieved you're all right," Di Shang told her. Sakura smiled. 

"Thank you," she said. She looked around and raised an eyebrow. "Wow," she said to Hwa Ming. "You managed to get another boat already." Hwa Ming shrugged. 

"We have Di Shang to thank for that," she said. "Though he won't tell me how he did it. Come on, let's get going to Chongquig." Sakura nodded and followed Di Shang and Hwa Ming to the new boat. Syaoran stood rooted to the spot, his fists clenched, glaring at Di Shang's back. Suddenly, Sakura turned and walked over to him, looking up at him curiously. 

"Are you okay, Syaoran?" she asked worriedly. Syaoran jumped back in surprise, not seeing her, sputtering all the way. 

"I'm…I'm, uh…" Syaoran looked away. "It's nothing!" he yelled, his cheeks turning scarlet. He was glad his hat slipped forward and covered his eyes. Sakura giggled, though not fully understanding what was wrong with her friend, linked her arm with his and proceeded to lead him to the boat. Syaoran continued to blush and sputter as she dragged him along. Di Shang watched with hidden amusement in his eyes. Sometimes, he just didn't understand his cousin. Did he have to push Syaoran far enough before he would say something? 

The boat was the same as before; in fact, it was an exact copy. As Sakura walked up to the boat, Di Shang helped her in, slipping something into the palm of her hand at the same time, unnoticed by Hwa Ming, but not escaping Syaoran's watchful eyes all the same. "Take care of this, Sakura," he said to her. Sakura looked at the object. It had changed to a Sakura Card; The Copy. Sakura looked up and nodded, understanding immediately. Syaoran folded his arms and glared at Di Shang when he offered to help him in. Di Shang smiled inwardly, not saying anything, especially not after Syaoran quickly sat down beside Sakura before his cousin could. Sakura blushed and looked away when Syaoran sat down and the smile on Di Shang's face vanished. He walked over to the other end and joined Hwa Ming. 

Hwa Ming was busy studying a map, tracing her finger from one city to another. "Where are we now?" asked Di Shang. Hwa Ming pointed to a curving point in the river. 

"Concerning major cities," she answered. "We just passed Yueyang. The next one is Shashi. Also, we'll soon be approaching the three major gorges of the Yangtze River. The waters can be dangerous there. The starting point to those gorges is Yichang, which is further north, past Shashi." 

"The three gorges?" thought Di Shang. "That's right! I remember them from my history class." 

"…starting at Xiling Gorge," continued Hwa Ming. "After passing Wu Gorge and Qutang Gorge, we're clear of them and the rest of the journey should be a breeze. Qutang, though the shortest Gorge by distance, happens to be one of the more dangerous gorges and shouldn't be taken lightly." Di Shang nodded, having heard the rest of what she had to say. Suddenly, he felt an odd sensation and turned and looked in Sakura and Syaoran's direction. Both Card Captors were staring out at the waters, avoiding each other's gaze. But feeling Di Shang's gaze, both turned and raised their eyebrows in unison, a questioning look on their faces. Di Shang waved his hand down, gesturing that nothing was wrong. Neither of them seemed to have noticed anything out of the ordinary and they went back to looking at the waters. 

"Strange," thought Di Shang as he looked back ahead. "I could have sworn I sensed something." Unbeknownst to him and his peers, a dark solid figure made its way beneath the waters, swimming further and faster, toward the area the third gorge stood. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Wandering to the front of the boat, Syaoran plopped down beside his cousin and Hwa Ming. Glancing back, he saw Sakura curled up there, still fast asleep. A soft smile flickered across his face. 

"Need something, Syaoran?" asked Di Shang. 

"Huh?" said Syaoran, startled out of his thoughts. "Oh…I was just wondering how long it would take us to navigate through this place." 

"The Xiling Gorge is about sixty-six kilometres long," answered Hwa Ming. "Fortunately, since this is the longest gorge, the others shouldn't take us as long." 

It was well past evening now and the sun had long since set. Sakura, still tired from the events of the day before and having sealed two Jiao Cards and transforming three, decided to go to sleep a little earlier than usual. Hwa Ming and Di Shang decided to travel at a much slower pace, seeing how night was setting in and stars were beginning to appear in the sky. Syaoran started to go back to his seat by Sakura when he felt a tap on his shoulder. Turning around, he raised an eyebrow when he saw Di Shang. 

"Do you have any idea how to defeat the Hour Card?" asked Di Shang. "Because I've been thinking about it all day but only drawing up a blank." Syaoran shook his head. 

"I can't think of any way, either," he said. "We've tried The Time and The Return, but this one Jiao Card is so much stronger than those two Sakura Cards combined. In fact, the Hour Card seems to have the same attributes as both cards, which explains why it has so much power. But," he added. "If we don't seal it soon, we could be trapped in this time period forever." Both boys fell silent. 

Breaking the silence, Di Shang said, "Why didn't you say anything?" Syaoran stared at him, confused, not knowing what his cousin was talking about. Di Shang sighed in exasperation. "Why didn't you tell her?" Again, he was given the lost look. Gripping his cousin's shoulders, Di Shang shook Syaoran. "Why didn't you tell her you love her?" he whispered fiercely, keeping his tone down so Sakura wouldn't hear him. Realization dawned on Syaoran's face and Di Shang let go of him. Syaoran looked at Sakura and then back at Di Shang. 

"I tried to…" he said, voice trailing off. 

"And?" prompted Di Shang. 

Syaoran was looking at floorboards. "I don't know," he replied. "I just…can't. The timing's never right, either. And if she doesn't love me…" He turned abruptly and walked over to talk to Hwa Ming, wanting to avoid the subject of their conversation entirely. 

Di Shang groaned inwardly. He was glad that his cousin finally understood how he felt about Sakura but he was just so blind! And though Di Shang didn't like it, he knew Sakura cared for Syaoran in return, to an extent that could be called love. But Sakura, being equally as dense as Syaoran didn't see that Syaoran loved her and therefore did nothing about it. Both of them were so afraid that the other didn't love them back… 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Sakura! Sakura! Wake up!" 

Sakura opened her eyelids sleepily. "What's the matter, Hwa Ming?" she asked her friend, rubbing her eyes and yawning. Suddenly, the boat dipped and shuddered violently, causing Sakura to bolt up immediately. They were under attack! 

A boulder crashed down, hurtling toward the small watercraft. Sakura withdrew her star key and released it, calling upon the Through Card. "Through!" she cried. "Make the rock lose its solid state!" The boulder fell right through the boat and dropped further and further in the water. It landed with a slight thud on the riverbed when The Through returned to its card form. 

Sakura breathed a sigh of relief as she watched the rock sink, but it was short-lived. Another boulder was flung down and slammed into the water, narrowly missing the boat, and it caused the water to erupt in a giant splash, which drenched the occupants of the boat. 

"What's going on?" grumbled Syaoran, wringing the water out of his hat. Di Shang, looking up, spotted a figure standing on the cliffside towering over the Yangtze and pointed it out for his friends. Syaoran's gaze followed the direction indicated. On the rocky ledge of the mountain stood a rather short, broad-shouldered figure, built entirely out of solid rock. Di Shang took a step back in surprise. 

"What's the Rock Card doing up there?" he thought. He quickly turned to Sakura and shouted, "Sakura, check your cards. Is The Rock there?" Sakura, immediately understanding what he was asking about, skimmed through her cards and couldn't find it. That meant another card had broken its seal. And this was a very aggressive card, too. 

Suddenly, the Rock Card lifted its hand up high, though still aiming it at the water. Tiny spikes formed in the palm of its hand. Di Shang recognized this attack right away, having experienced it months ago when he was in China. Looking about him, he saw his friends had their gazes locked on the Jiao Card, not realizing what it was about to do. The spikes grew in length to be about two centimetres and swiftly exited the card's hands, speeding towards Sakura. Di Shang reacted immediately before he even saw the spikes leave the cards' hand and gathering her in his arms, dropped to the wooden floor of the boat. He hadn't been fast enough; some of the spikes grazed his left arm while others punctured through his skin, causing blood to flow. 

"Di Shang!" cried Sakura as she sat up. Di Shang lay down on the boat, his eyes closed, trying to ignore the pain in his left arm. 

After a few seconds, he opened one of his eyes and looked up at Sakura, who was slightly shaken by the speed of the card's attack. "Are you okay, Sakura?" he asked her. Sakura nodded. He tried getting up, his right hand clutching his left arm - just above the cuts - but couldn't find the energy. He cursed himself for forgetting about some of the Rock Card's special attacks. When these stone pellets drew blood, they took energy with it as well. He never figured out where the energy went yet. Sakura held him down by pushing him down lightly on his shoulders. 

"Don't get up yet," she said. "You're hurt." Di Shang looked up and saw the worry in Sakura's emerald-green eyes. He assented to her words. Hwa Ming rushed to her friends' side to see how she could help out. 

"I knew the Qutang Gorge could be dangerous sometimes," she muttered to herself. "But this is ridiculous." Syaoran, after seeing what the card had done and could do, unsheathed his sword and took out an incantation paper, aiming them at the Jiao Card. 

"Element: Water!" he cried. Water blasted out from the incantation paper but the cliff was too high and it never reached it. Sakura stood up, her hands clenched around her staff. She glanced over at Di Shang and he smiled reassuringly. She nodded in response. Choosing a card that would never fail her, Sakura called upon the Wood Card. Vines whipped out of the card form, heading straight toward the Rock Card, but as Syaoran's spell had failed, so did the Sakura Card. The opposing card was just too high up. 

Sakura's grip on her staff tightened. "I'm not letting this card get away for hurting my friend," she thought. Drawing out another card, she shouted, "Fly!" Graceful pink wings sprouted from her back. Hwa Ming gaped at the sight. A person with…wings? How did she do it? Only birds could have feathers and wings. Sakura turned to Syaoran and held her hand out to him. Syaoran stared at her, confused. "Come on," she told him. "We can beat that Jiao Card if we work together." Syaoran nodded, understanding at once. 

With a little help from the Power Card as well as The Fly, Sakura flew into the air, with Syaoran arms encircled around her waist and holding onto her. Sakura's focus was on the Jiao Card, for it was uppermost on her mind. For Syaoran, it took him but a moment to notice the extremely close contact he had with Sakura and he turned beet red. "Don't think about that!" he thought to himself, shaking his head to clear those thoughts. 

"Is something wrong, Syaoran?" asked Sakura when she saw him shake his head. 

"Huh?" said Syaoran. "Uh…no, it's nothing. It's just I…" Out of the corner of his eye, Syaoran saw the Rock Card throwing a small boulder in their direction. Sakura, still watching Syaoran, hadn't noticed. "Sakura," he shouted. "We have to get lower or we'll get hit!" 

"What?" cried Sakura. She looked up to see the boulder right in front of her and her eyes widened. There wasn't enough time for her to dodge it! Syaoran quickly thought of a way around it. Exerting more power and weight on his end, he pulled Sakura down with him. Sakura, surprised at the sudden change in weight, was forced to put The Power away and they fell. They landed, but on Syaoran's back, and skidded onto the cliffside, Syaoran still holding onto Sakura. When they stopped moving, Syaoran slowly lifted his head up, his vision swimming. "Syaoran!" cried Sakura, sitting up and shaking him lightly. "Syaoran, are you okay? Speak to me!" 

Looking through blurred eyes, Syaoran could see a silhouette of a girl with long wings. "Like an angel…" he murmured to himself. Then her voice cut through his dazed stupor. "Sakura?" His sight returned to normal and his amber eyes locked with Sakura's emerald eyes. He could read relief in them. Sakura impulsively hugged Syaoran. 

"I'm so glad you're all right," she said. "You scared me when you pulled us down like that and…" Sakura held up one hand, a look of dismay on her face. Syaoran's back was red…a bit of his blood was on her fingertips. Syaoran looked from the expression on Sakura's face to her hands. He forced himself to stand up. 

"Don't worry," he told her, though grimacing slightly with pain. "I'm just fine. Let's seal that card and go back to the others." Sakura didn't budge; instead she just watched him. "Come on!" commanded Syaoran, pulling Sakura to her feet. Syaoran held out his hand and cast a little spell, his sword appearing in his hand. Taking out another incantation paper, he cried, "Element: Water!" Again, water shot out from the paper and surrounded the Rock Card. Syaoran took a glance at Sakura and saw she was still looking at his back; the torn battle costume, the scratches tinged with red… "Sakura!" he yelled again. Sakura looked up at him, then looked over at the Jiao Card, as if remembering what she had flown up there to do. 

"Wood!" she cried, holding her star staff and the Wood Card in the air. "Use your vines to wrap up Rock!" The Wood Card flew forward, gliding round and round the Jiao Card, tying it up. The Rock Card attempted to struggle out of the Sakura Card's grasp, but being weakened at the same time with water from the incantation paper, it fell to its knees instead. Sakura walked to it, pointing her staff at the card. "Return to your true form! Rock!" The solid bulky figure vanished and was replaced with a blue and yellow card. The Jiao Card landed in Sakura's hand and transformed while Sakura sighed with relief. She turned around to show Syaoran the re-sealed card but instead, she saw him fall forward, unconscious, to the ground. 

"Syaoran!" 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Syaoran slowly opened his eyes and winced in pain. His back felt like it was on fire. "Ow!" he cried out when he felt something lightly being applied to his back. He turned around and glared at the person behind him and found himself face to face with Sakura. She was applying medicine to Syaoran's wounded back but even her most gentle touch hurt him. His glare faltered when he encountered her emerald eyes. 

"I'm sorry, Syaoran," she said softly. "I didn't mean to hurt you further. I'm just trying to help." 

"Don't mind him, Sakura," came Di Shang's voice. Syaoran looked up to see Di Shang walk over and join the pair. Di Shang smiled. "Syaoran's just being a big baby." 

Syaoran scowled at Di Shang and muttered something incoherent. Then turning to Sakura again, he said, "Go ahead." Sakura nodded and continued to lightly place the lotion onto Syaoran's back. He winced again, but gritting his teeth this time and bearing it, not wanting to let Di Shang have an opportunity to call him a "baby" again. 

The Card Captors and Hwa Ming had long since past the Qutang Gorge and they were now slowly drifting on the Yangtze River heading toward Chongquig. The waters were much smoother and calmer. Night had past and day would soon begin for the sky began to brighten as the sun slowly rose. Sakura paused in her work and clasped her hands together. 

"Syaoran, look," she whispered softly. "I've never seen the sun rise before. It's so beautiful." Syaoran slowly propped himself up with one arm, lying on his side. 

"That's because you're always still sleeping like a rock at that time," commented Syaoran. Sakura glared at Syaoran but when she saw the small smile on his face, her anger dissolved and a blush crept onto her cheeks. 

"Don't joke like that!" she said playfully, giving him a light pat on the back. Syaoran grimaced and Sakura's hands flew up to her mouth. "I'm so sorry!" she cried. "I forgot!" Syaoran's face lost the grimace and he bore the pain with patience and a soft smile. 

"That's all right," he said. "Don't worry about it." Sakura smiled back and they continued to watch the sun rise slowly over the cliffsides in peaceful silence. 

In the back of the boat, Hwa Ming continued to steer the watercraft while Di Shang quietly watched the two Card Captors sitting in the front. Hwa Ming looking over at her friend, noticed him watching, and gently nudged him. "Jealous?" she asked. Di Shang glanced over at her quizzically then laughed. 

"I suppose I am…a little bit," he replied truthfully. He turned to look out at the waters of the river while he continued. "You see, my cousin, Meiling, and I always figured that, if Syaoran could never see his true feelings for Sakura, then we'd be the one to help him see it, since he could be so blind sometimes. There was only one problem with that…" His gaze shifted back to Sakura and Syaoran "After I moved to Japan, I started to love Sakura, too." He turned to face Hwa Ming again. "I have no intention of taking Sakura from my cousin, because I believe Syaoran is the only one that can truly make her happy. It's just sometimes I wish I was the one Sakura met first instead of Syaoran." Di Shang finished, a wistful expression on his face. 

Sakura, completely oblivious to Di Shang's words, quietly hummed a tune to herself as she bandaged Syaoran's back with long strips of white cloth. Luckily for Syaoran, the scratches weren't too deep and the healing process would not take long. Sakura handed Syaoran his white buttoned-down shirt and watched him as he slipped it on. Syaoran felt her gaze and turned around. "What?" he asked. Sakura looked down at the floorboards and shook her head, blushing lightly. 

"Nothing," she said nonchalantly. She still didn't lift her head. Syaoran gazed at her for a moment, his eyes softening. The sun had risen above the small cliffs now and continued to rise. Sakura's emerald eyes, always filled with warmth, were no different now. The sun's rays seemed to lightly kiss her brown hair and they gleamed, making the shade seem lighter. A tiny smile played at the corners of her lips, waiting to blossom. He loved her so much… 

"Sakura…" he said in a low tone. Sakura looked up at him when she heard her name and raised an eyebrow questioningly. Syaoran plucked his courage together. This was it. "Sakura, I…" 

"Breakfast is ready!" 

Syaoran and Sakura jumped at the sudden interruption, both sweatdropping when they saw Di Shang holding on plates of food to them. Di Shang looked from Sakura and Syaoran and blinked. "I'm sorry," he said. "Was I interrupting something?" Sakura shook her head and Di Shang smiled. "That's good," he said. "For a moment, I thought I…" Seeing the venomous look in Syaoran's eyes, Di Shang decided to just hand his cousin his breakfast and leave. Syaoran was boiling inside. Another moment…lost again! He continued to glare at his cousin while he ate his breakfast. Sakura, not knowing what Syaoran was going to say, glanced every so often at him and wondered why his face held an angered expression. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Do you really have to go?" 

Hwa Ming nodded sadly, eyes on the ground. "I do," she said resignedly. "It's the family business to ferry passengers and courier to towns and cities along the Yangtze River and I can't quit now. Besides, I promised my father I'd be back in a fortnight and I've been gone for three weeks." Her gaze shifted from the ground and back to her friends. She smiled. "I'm going to miss you all," she said. "I have to admit, being with you was definitely interesting. And…" She walked up to Syaoran and kissed him on the cheek. Syaoran stared at her in surprise, his face red from blushing, while Sakura looked way, trying not to get angry. 

"It's not like I'm jealous or anything," she told herself, but knowing she didn't sound very convincing. She wished she could kiss Syaoran on impulse…but he may not like that… 

"I have you to thank, Syaoran," said Hwa Ming. "Because of you, I got my sight again." She bowed to him once, showing her appreciation. 

Syaoran smiled at her. "Just glad I could help you out," he said. Hwa Ming nodded and waved goodbye as the three Card Captors turned to leave. 

"Bye! Be careful!" she called after them. "Maybe I'll see you again someday!" 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Do you think we'll see her again?" asked Sakura. 

The three Card Captors had been making their way through the busy streets of Chongquig since they left the port. For now, though, they took a break inside a small restaurant, ignoring the short glances they kept receiving from other customers and the shopkeepers. Syaoran held the map provided by Kam Un before him, trying to decide where to go and the easiest route to Xian from there. 

"I'm sure we will," answered Di Shang. "But we shouldn't get too attached with the people here. Don't forget, we're not in our own time." Sakura nodded. Syaoran opened his mouth to add in something but was cut short. The Card Captors immediately sensed something; a dark aura. Jumping up, they ran out of the restaurant, Syaoran in the lead. The dark aura seemed to be beckoning to them. 

"It has to be Kam Un," thought Syaoran as he ran. "And we must be getting close since the signal is getting stronger each time." Weaving their way through the crowds on the street, Syaoran caught sight of someone running before them, dressed in long black robes. The figure tossed their long charcoal shaded braid over their shoulder and took a look behind them. That's when they recognized Kam Un. Kam Un saw them and ran even faster. "Come back here, coward!" shouted Syaoran. Kam Un turned swiftly and ran through a quiet alleyway, Syaoran close behind. Then the latter tried his best to keep up, but Kam Un moved too fast and soon rounded another corner. By the time Syaoran reached the corner, Kam Un had disappeared. Syaoran leaned against a wall, panting and trying to regain his breath. By then, Sakura and Di Shang had caught up to him. 

"Where did he go?" asked Di Shang. Syaoran shrugged then turned and punched the wall behind him angrily. He couldn't believe he had missed him again! "Maybe…" A shout cut Di Shang off in mid-sentence. It had come from the direction Kam Un had taken. The Card Captors exchanged glances and headed toward there. They stopped short when they saw a person lying on the ground, apparently unconscious, while another person was crouching beside him. The one crouching turned around. It was Kam Un. He laughed then turned and ran again. Without another thought, Syaoran chased after him, and Di Shang as well, after telling Sakura to check on the person that Kam Un had hurt to ensure he was all right. Sakura nodded and watched as her friends left, right on Kam Un's tail. 

Sakura walked around the boy once, mumbling to herself about no fire, wire, gas, and/or glass; something she had picked up in her health class about finding an unconscious person. Not encountering any of the aforementioned hazards, she decided to go to the next step: being certain the person was _really_ unconscious. She shook the person lightly, saying, "Are you awake? Speak to me." The person never responded. That meant he was really unconscious. Sakura looked up thoughtfully as she tried to think of the next step. "I wonder what Kam Un did to him," she said aloud. Suddenly, someone grabbed her left wrist and jerked her forward. She looked up and found herself face-to-face with the "unconscious" boy. 

"Absolutely nothing, Card Mistress," he said with a smirk. Sakura tried withdrawing her arm but the boy held fast. She watched in horror as the boy transformed into Kam Un. The Jiao User held up a card in his hand; The Mask. 

Sakura thought quickly, she had to stall for time. "Then who is Syaoran and Di Shang chasing?" she asked. 

Kam Un smiled arrogantly. "I bet you never noticed you were missing a card, did you?" he said. "If you were to go through your cards now, you'll find out the Copy Card is no longer there. In fact, all of the Jiao Cards you sealed are gone. Take a look." Sakura could only stare at him. It couldn't be! He had to be lying! She opened her pouch, the one holding all her Sakura Cards and quickly scanned through them. There were only fifty-two cards…all the former Jiao Cards were gone! Kam Un laughed at the Card Mistress' astonished expression. "Told you. Now" he said, tightening the grip on her wrist. "If you'll just come with me quietly and-" 

Sakura's right hand flew to her star key and, holding it, she began her chant. Before she could go any further, though, Kam Un grabbed her right wrist as well and pulled it down, breaking the clasp on her necklace and forcing her to drop the star key. It landed on the dusty ground. Not wanting the troublesome Card Mistress to have a chance to do more damage, he twisted her arm behind her and pushed her to the ground. Sakura cried out in pain and squeezed her eyes shut. "I warned you," said Kam Un. He drew a card from his pocket and smiled. "Didn't I tell you before the Prophet Card is never wrong?" Sakura's eyes instantly flew open. This was almost exactly what happened in her dream! He placed the card flat on Sakura's back and the card glowed. Sakura screamed as a searing pain rippled through her entire body. 

"Syaoran…Di Shang…" she thought, tears streaming down her face. "Where are you? I need you both…" The Card Mistress crumpled to the ground, losing all unconscious, everything turning pitch-black… 

Author's Note: Sorry! I'm really sorry I've been taking so long (almost a month) just to write one chapter! *sighs* I've been really busy…   
So we get a mixture of S + S and D + S in this chapter. I know I said I was going to continue the S + S flavouring, but I kept forgetting and added a few S + D moments. *sweatdrops* I know…Hwa Ming's gone…Sorry if you liked her. (Who actually did? I'm just curious…)   
That thing Sakura did at the end of the chapter while checking on the "unconscious" person was something I had learned in phys-ed class - the health unit. We had to walk around a person and check to make sure there weren't any fires, wires, gas, or glass. Uh…I don't really know how to explain it. o_O   
I had once entertained thoughts of literally drawing a map of where the Card Captors go, how, etc. , but I've never actually tried it yet. Should I? Also, I'll probably be posting a list of Jiao Cards soon so watch out for them.   
I've only started watching the Sakura Card Arc recently and I then realized my fic sort of clashes with the third season at certain parts…*sweatdrops* I'm sorry! I hadn't known many of the events that occurred then. While writing, I was completely oblivious to it. Even watching it now doesn't help much because I can barely read Chinese and I don't understand Japanese… 

*Sakura   
~The Animé Archives Team

   [1]: mailto:taateam@hotmail.com?subject=New%20Cards%20Fan%20Fic



	15. Awakening Master

The New Cards 

**The New Cards ******

Awakening Master: Chapter Fifteen 

By: [Sakura][1]

Sakura's scream pierced the air. 

Syaoran and Di Shang halted when they heard - or rather _felt_ - the Card Mistress' terror. Kam Un had stopped running as well and just stood there, not budging an inch. In less than a second, Syaoran grabbed Kam Un by the collar and held him fast. 

"What did you do to Sakura?" he demanded angrily. Kam Un continued to smile, not saying a word. When Syaoran began to shake him roughly, the Jiao User still volunteered no information. 

After a while, Di Shang realized what it meant. "Don't bother, Syaoran," he told his cousin. "It's no use. He's just a card; and one that can't speak." Syaoran turned and looked back at the figure in his hands. "Kam Un" smiled at him and then suddenly disappeared. Syaoran could only stare with wide eyes, his hands clutching nothing more than air. "It was the Copy Card," said Di Shang, answering his cousin's unasked question. Di Shang looked back at the direction they had come from, uneasiness in his eyes. "That could only mean that card has broken its seal." His brow furrowed with worry. But before he could take another step, Syaoran ran past him, heading back to where they had left Sakura. 

"Why was I so stupid to leave you alone?" he wondered aloud as he ran, completely furious with himself. "I should've expected Kam Un to play a trick like this. Why didn't I see it?" 

"I don't think it was completely your fault, Syaoran," said Di Shang, running alongside of his cousin. "It was my fault, too; and the Deceive Card as well, come to think of it." 

Syaoran's fists clenched tight. "Does the Jiao User have any cards that don't cause such trouble?" he thought to himself. Syaoran stopped, reaching the spot they had left Sakura and the unconscious man. Traces of a struggle could be seen on the dirt ground, the dust still settling, but there was no sign of Sakura or even the man occupying the space previously. Sakura was gone…her aura no longer felt…she was nowhere near…nowhere to be found… 

His legs giving way beneath him, Syaoran dropped on his knees to the ground, causing more dust to rise and settle again. His hands landed as well as he hit the dirt with his right fist. "Sakura…" he whispered under his breath. "I failed to protect you…again…" Both fists slammed into the ground this time. "Why am I so useless?" he cried. As the dust slowly dropped, something shiny sitting on the ground next to Syaoran's hand caught his eye. Sakura's star key! 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Where…am…I…?" 

Sakura's eyes slowly fluttered open and she found herself leaning against a wall, her cheek pressed to the cold pavement. She slowly lifted her head away from the wall, letting her eyes wander around. She couldn't see very much, just stone walls surrounding her and a door. She pulled herself to her feet and forced herself to take a step forward. 

Bad idea. 

The room began to spin around her in dizzying motions and Sakura collapsed. But before she could hit the pavement, someone caught her. Sakura blinked, her vision still blurry, and tried to clear away the dizziness. The person holding her had short blue hair and cool charcoal-grey eyes. Shock registered on her face. 

"Chi Yuen…?" she said in a soft whisper. Chi Yuen smiled at her, then pressed his finger lightly against her lips, silencing her when she tried to speak again. Her head suddenly feeling faint, and the room spinning out of control, Sakura drifted back into unconsciousness. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"All fifty-two cards have been returned?" 

As he bowed to his Master, Kam Un nodded in response. "Yes," he replied. "She doesn't have a single Jiao Card left." His Master smiled maliciously. 

"Perfect," he said. "It's almost time…I can't wait any longer. But…" he added, trailing off. "We are still missing two of our guests, are we not?" Kam Un nodded again. 

"They'll be here soon," he answered. "They can't stray far from their Card Mistress for long. Though I'm rather surprised at their stupidity. Imagine chasing after a Jiao Card and leaving the Cherry Blossom all by herself. I suppose I gave the Li cousins too much credit. I must admit, though, the Card Mistress is not as weak as she was when I first met her." 

"Her strength…it seems to have increased over time," said Kam Un's Master after a pause. "Perhaps she'll be a challenge of sorts. But…she's still too weak for me…" 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Where am I now?" wondered Sakura. She found herself back in the same dark room. She was alone. As she tried to stand up, she saw her arms and legs were chained to the wall and she was unable to move more than a few inches away from it. "Who could have done this?" she murmured aloud. 

"I did." 

Sakura looked up and saw Kam Un standing before her. He had a wide smirk on his face. Sakura gasped. It was like she was in a reoccurring dream! Calling it a nightmare would have been more appropriate. The Prophecy Card…it had shown her this…and it came true… "I wonder if you remember someone, Card Mistress," continued the Jiao User, pointing to the opposite wall of the room. 

"Not Syaoran…" thought Sakura despairingly. Sakura eyes followed his gaze and she saw another person stood chained to the wall like her. The figure had midnight-blue hair that hung limply around his face. His eyes were closed and he wasn't moving. "Chi Yuen!" cried Sakura, pulling on her chains, trying to reach her friend. At first, Chi Yuen didn't respond, but after a while, he opened his eyelids slowly and lifted his head to face her. 

"Sakura…" he said hoarsely. He suddenly winced with pain and his head lowered. 

"Chi Yuen! What did you do to him, Kam Un?" demanded Sakura. "What do you even want from him?" 

"I didn't do anything to him, Card Mistress," replied Kam Un, his insufferable smile plastered on his face. "Nor do I want anything from him." 

Sakura's expression became one of confusion. "Then why are you holding him captive here?" she asked. 

"Card Mistress, don't be fooled so easily," laughed Kam Un. "Chen Chi Yuen died a long time ago. He no longer exists in this reality." 

The Card Mistress' face suddenly turned pale. "You mean, he's a g-ghost?" Kam Un shook his head. He stepped beside Chi Yuen and they merged together, the chains holding Chi Yuen back disappearing, along with Chi Yuen, into Kam Un's body. He smiled arrogantly at Sakura. 

"Do you get it now, Card Mistress?" he asked her. "The pathetic creature you saw before you was me…a long time ago. I have long since grown in strength and power. Chi Yuen was nothing but a weakling. He no longer exists. Only me." Realization dawned on Sakura's face. 

"It was you…this whole time…? Chi Yuen…he was never really with us?" She felt confused again. A person she had relied on and trusted to be her friend…was really her enemy? It couldn't be…there was no way… 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"What is it, Syaoran?" asked Di Shang. Syaoran picked up the tiny object off the ground and held it up for his cousin to see. It was Sakura's star key, still attached to the necklace. "The clasp is broken," said Di Shang as he reached for the key and held the necklace in his hand as he observed it. "It's as if it was torn off her neck." Suddenly, the key glowed, and before either Li's had time to react, the pink light from the pendant engulfed them and they disappeared. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

The cousins suddenly appeared out of nowhere and dropped heavily on the cold cement pavement. "Get off me," muttered Syaoran through gritted teeth at his cousin sprawled atop him. Di Shang sat up and dusted himself off. Syaoran sat up as well, rubbing his head. "Where the heck are we?" he asked. Before Di Shang could reply, a voice interrupted him. 

"Syaoran! Di Shang!" 

Syaoran leapt up, immediately recognizing the voice. "Sakura!" As his eyes adjusted to the dim lighting in the room, he saw Sakura sitting against a wall, her arms and legs chained. He was by her side in a flash, holding her in a tight hug. 

"Syaoran?" whispered Sakura. 

"I was so worried about you," he said, pulling away slightly to look into her eyes. "I thought we really lost you that time." His tone was so soft…his words…was she dreaming? This wasn't a cruel trick played by Kam Un, was it? Sakura hoped not. 

"I thought I'd never see you again, either, Syaoran," she said softly. "You're real, right? This isn't a joke?" 

"A joke?" repeated Di Shang. 

Syaoran let go of Sakura and tried to melt into the shadows of the room, hiding his furiously red face. He forgot Di Shang was behind him. 

"Sakura," continued Di Shang. "Who did this to you? Kam Un?" Sakura nodded. Di Shang immediately unsheathed his sword and brought it down against the chains with a swift slashing motion. 

"I don't think so." 

The chains glowed dark red when Di Shang's sword impacted them. His sword was then thrown out of his grasp and clattered away. The chains stopped glowing, but only for a second. As they burned with a fierce red radiance, four chains materialized out of the walls and flew forward, snaking their way around Di Shang's arms and legs and clamping shut on his wrists and ankles. They retracted, pulling him back against the wall. 

"Di Shang!" cried Sakura. The motion had been too quick for him to respond and Di Shang hadn't had time to react. He struggled against them now, finding it to no avail. Suddenly, Kam Un appeared before him, smiling. 

"Haven't I told you more than once that my power was greater than yours?" he asked in a pleasant manner. Di Shang glared at Kam Un but said nothing. With his cousin trapped, Syaoran unsheathed his own sword, his eyes fixed on Kam Un. Di Shang saw him and knew what would come if he attacked. 

"Syaoran, don't!" 

Syaoran paid no heed to his cousin's words and rushed at Kam Un. Without turning around, Kam Un lifted his arm up and pointed it at Syaoran, shooting a small dark energy blast at him. Syaoran couldn't block the blast and he was thrown into the wall, chains clamping tightly around him. Kam Un turned around and walked to Syaoran, a smirk on his face. "You should have listened to your cousin, fool," said Kam Un. Syaoran didn't respond to his comment but did what his cousin had; he glared angrily at his captor. Silence followed as well as tension. 

"Where are we?" asked Di Shang finally, breaking the silence. 

"Right where you're supposed to be," answered Kam Un, turning away from Syaoran to face everyone. "Xian. If you have any questions, hurry up and ask them because I have somewhere to go." 

"Fine," said Syaoran. "Why here? Of all places in China, why Xian?" 

"Why do you waste my time asking this kind of question, Li?" responded Kam Un with a harsh laugh. "You of all people should remember what significance Xian has to the Jiao Cards." 

"The Jiao Cards were created here, weren't they?" answered Di Shang. "Come to think of it, Clow defeated Jiao Wan here as well." 

"Jiao Wan was a weakling then," said Kam Un bitterly. "His powers were too puny against Clow's." He smiled tightly. "But that's where I come in. By temporarily taking charge of the Jiao Cards, I've fed it more power than it's ever had. And its power is too great for any of you to contain." He walked over to Sakura and watched her intensely. "Especially you." Sakura shrank back slightly, trying to avoid the ferocity of his gaze. Kam Un smirked and leaned forward, giving her a kiss on the cheek, much to the outrage of both Li cousins. He stepped back, still smiling. 

Sakura simply stared back at him, a surprised look etched on her features. Syaoran clenched his fists tight and tried to pull free from his bonds. But he found that was completely useless. Kam Un turned and headed toward the door. 

Stopping in font of it, he paused and turned to Syaoran. "By the way, Syaoran," he said. "Thanks for the lovely souvenirs." He held up Sakura's star key in one hand, and both Li's swords in the other, an almost victorious smile on his face. Syaoran, already scowling and full of anger, lunged at the Jiao user but was held back by his chains. Kam Un slipped out, leaving the trio alone in complete darkness. 

"How are we supposed to get out now?" asked Sakura softly. "How can we do anything like this? Is this how it's suppose to end? How-" 

"Sakura!" said Syaoran sharply. Sakura looked up with surprise at Syaoran's tone and turned to his direction. "That doesn't sound the least bit like you. We can't give up," he admonished. "Just because there's a large obstacle in our path doesn't mean we'll let it take over. We have to work hard and conquer it, no matter how impossible it seems." 

"Syaoran's right," spoke up Di Shang. "We can't let ourselves become the victims of our supposed fate. We choose what we want our fate to be…our destiny…our life…" 

"Syaoran…" whispered Sakura softly, immediately grasping their words. "Di Shang…Thank you…for everything. This won't be the end of us…I promise I'll do whatever I can to ensure that!" A faint pink aura began to surround Sakura as she spoke. 

"And I promise to protect you however I can," replied Syaoran. His own green aura surrounded him as well, and Di Shang's blue aura responded in kind. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Well, I'd say they're ripe and ready for picking." 

"Master?" questioned Kam Un. 

"Why not invite them in? I don't see how gathering more energy could hurt." Kam Un nodded. Holding out the Card Mistress' star key, he applied a transfer spell on it. Suddenly, Sakura, Syaoran, and Di Shang appeared in the air and dropped to the ground in a heap. 

"Ow…" murmured Sakura under her breath, lifting her head. She looked around and saw she was no longer chained, realizing she had been taken out of the prison. Syaoran and Di Shang pulled themselves up into sitting positions as well. They found themselves surrounded by darkness. 

"Card Mistress," spoke a quiet voice from the shadows. "I finally get to meet you." Sakura looked around with surprise. Who said that? Suddenly, out of the shadows stepped Kam Un, dressed in his traditional battle robes, his staff in his hand. It wasn't Kam Un whom had spoken, right? The voice had been much deeper…From behind Kam Un stood a tall figure. His face was half-hidden in shadows and in his hands was a book with midnight-blue covers and dark yellow borders and symbols; the Jiao Book. He released the book and it floated in mid-air, opening by itself and the Jiao Cards gliding out of its case, surrounding both figures in a circle. Di Shang understood what this meant almost immediately. 

"Jiao Wan…?" he muttered under his breath. "But he should be dead by now…" 

The figure stepped out of the shadows and nodded with a smirk. "You're absolutely right, Li Di Shang," said Jiao Wan. "I _should_ be dead right now. But thanks to you and your little friends…" the older man looked from Di Shang to Syaoran, eyes resting lastly on Sakura. "I'm able to sustain for a while longer. Confused still, Card Mistress?" he asked Sakura. "My name is Chen Jiao Wan, the creator of the Jiao Cards, as is obvious." Sakura couldn't believe her ears. Jiao Wan had been alive around the time Clow Reed had existed physically - not counting Eriol. How could he still be alive after all this time? 

"You're lying," said Syaoran, standing up. "There's no possible way you could be the real Jiao Wan." Jiao Wan raised his eyebrow questioningly and Kam Un stifled a smirk. 

"So you don't believe me, Li Syaoran?" asked Jiao Wan. "I suppose you would prefer a demonstration of my way of survival." Jiao Wan raised his hand and drew one of the circling Jiao Cards to him. He held up the card to show them; the Drain Card. The card began to glow and energy surged into Jiao Wan's hand, through his arm, and spreading throughout his body. Suddenly, Sakura crumpled to the ground in pain, sharp currents running throughout her body. 

"Sakura!" cried Syaoran reaching her side. Sakura struggled against the pain, trying to rid herself of its fierce intensity, tears rolling down her cheeks as she fought it. Syaoran held Sakura tight in his arms, even while she struggled. "Fight it, Sakura," he cried. "Fight against it!" Finally, the Jiao Card stopped glowing in Jiao Wan's hand and the pain Sakura felt subsided. Eyes closing, she crumbled in Syaoran's arms and lay limply against his shoulder. "Sakura? Sakura! Wake up!" With his eyes blazing with anger, Syaoran turned to face Jiao Wan, saying, "What did you do to her?" Jiao Wan smiled smugly, releasing his card. The card floated back to the Jiao Book and fitted itself back into place. 

"You wanted a demonstration of how I survived, Li Syaoran," answered Jiao Wan. "So I gave you what you wanted. As similar as my cards are to Clow's, mine contain a catch: anyone who seals them loses their energy to the cards. Since I created the cards, the energy is transferred to myself, helping me to sustain longer. No matter what, Card Captors, the Jiao Cards will belong to me and only to me. Because you have each sealed several cards, I received energy from each of you. But seeing how Sakura would be able to transform my cards into her own cards, this would take even more energy from her and feed it to me. Not to mention that the only purpose of the Drain Card is to take another person's life energy and give it to the master of the cards." 

"No need to fear, Li Syaoran," continued Jiao Wan. "The Card Mistress won't die…" A visible glint could be seen in his eyes as he spoke. "Yet." Syaoran kept his arms protectively around Sakura and glared at Jiao Wan. Jiao Wan smiled and placed a hand on Kam Un's head. "And I'm sure you've met my son by now." This was another shock for Syaoran and Di Shang. If Jiao Wan was supposed to have died hundreds of years ago, then shouldn't Kam Un have died, too? "No need to wonder, Li's," commented Jiao Wan. "Chi Yuen can use my cards the same way." 

"Chi Yuen?" Kam Un transformed himself into his old look and smiled pleasantly as he brushed aside his blue bangs. 

"That's just a name I haven't used in a while," he said. 

"How could that be?" asked Di Shang. "You were sitting with us during the time we were at the circus when Kam Un was in the ring. You were with us at Tomoyo's party. How can you be both?" 

"Easy." Chi Yuen held up the Copy Card. "Though The Copy cannot utter a word, ventriloquism always helped. Also, you were both outside when The Ice and The Blizzard attacked. How could you have known what I'd been doing inside? And besides, the Deceive Card has more than finished its job over the past months. None of you should have suspected a thing until now." 

"I can't believe we fell for his tricks so easily," muttered Syaoran. "It was so obvious." He looked down at Sakura, the Card Mistress leaning lightly against his shoulder. How could he protect her? How could he fail so miserably? 

Jiao Wan guiding all the Jiao Cards back into its book and closed it. Suddenly, the room they were in changed shape as the dimensions warped, time changing its course again. When the room completed its transformation, Di Shang could see nothing but a ruined room, with rocks and bricks lying askew, objects covered with centuries of dust. With the Hour Card put away, all of them were transported back to their own time, out of the past. That meant they could never see Hwa Ming ever again for she belonged in the past. She had been a good friend to them. 

"Catch, Li's," said Kam Un, having transformed again. He tossed Di Shang and Syaoran's sword to each of them. "If you want your Card Mistress back to normal, defeat me, without using any cards. The magic you have learned throughout your years _can_ be used." He smiled. "Of course, that gives me the edge, since I _have_ been around for a few hundred years more than you." Di Shang unsheathed his sword, throwing his scabbard to the side. Syaoran looked from Kam Un, to his sword, to Sakura. Her eyelids were closed, hiding the bright emerald-green eyes he loved. There was nothing he wanted more than to see her smile warmly and tell him everything will be all right. He didn't want to see her like this! 

"Come on, Li," taunted Kam Un. "Are you afraid to fight me or not? Don't worry about the Cherry Blossom. It's not like she can go anywhere." Syaoran glanced over at Jiao Wan and saw he had taken a seat on a chair with a high back. Kam Un followed his gaze and turned back to face his opponents with a laugh. "He won't interfere; not when you're all such weaklings. If you can't beat me, you're definitely not ready to face _him_." Syaoran looked back at the sleeping Cherry Blossom and fought the urge to hold her close to him; instead, placed her leaning against a wall. He angrily gripped his sword and unsheathed it as well. Looking over to Di Shang, both Li cousins nodded and fixed themselves into a defensive position, swords raised. Kam Un clucked his tongue and shook his head, almost laughing. 

"When will you two ever learn?" he asked. "Defense is not the solution. Offense is the key and the only way to win!" With that said, he transformed his staff into a double-edged broadsword and lunged at the Li cousins. Both Li's jumped back, surprised at the sudden attack but suddenly, he was nowhere to be seen. Jiao Wan smiled inwardly, noting every move his son had made. Out of nowhere, Kam Un appeared behind Syaoran and Di Shang and he slashed downward. Syaoran had been the furthest away and jumped back in time when he sensed Kam Un's movement, but Di Shang had been struck in his upper left arm, the blade cutting through his battle robes and piercing his skin. 

"Cheap shot," commented Di Shang, trying to ignore the flaming pain in his left arm. Kam Un merely smiled at the younger boy. 

"There's nothing fair in a war, Li," he replied airily. "And this is just what our situation is right now. In this game, there are no rules. If you get hurt, it's not my problem. If you die, it's your own fault." Syaoran watched his cousin grit his teeth and raise his sword again into a defensive stance. Kam Un, moving quickly, disappeared from sight again, much to Di Shang's dismay. With Kam Un's unusual speed, he was difficult to track. 

Di Shang closed his eyes, trying to sense where Kam Un could strike next. He felt a hand on his shoulder and opened his eyes, turning around. Syaoran removed his hand and nodded grimly to his cousin, a determined expression on his face. Di Shang realized that both of them shared the same thoughts; if neither of them worked together, they would never be able to defeat Kam Un or help the Card Mistress. Since that time in Hong Kong, their truce had never been broken. In this situation, it could only re-strengthen their former bond. 

Kam Un appeared overhead this time and struck downward, throwing his sword spinning to the ground. Both Li's leapt back as it struck the ground and each pulled out an incantation paper. "Element: Wind!" they cried at the same time. The force of the wind nearly caught Kam Un by surprise and tangled him up, carrying him up high. With one sweep of his arm the winds disappeared and Kam Un dropped to the ground in a crouch. His annoying smile was still plastered to his face. 

"Is that the best you can do?" he asked with a smirk. Syaoran tightened his grip on his sword, wanting to wipe the smile off Kam Un's face. But for the first time, a calm feeling took over him and he smiled back, almost as if he were challenging him in return. 

"That was just a warm-up," he told him. Di Shang looked over at Syaoran and wondered at the calmness in his tone. Syaoran never took things lightly in his life, so what was he talking about? He _never_ "warmed-up", so to speak, always starting out strong. So…why was he bluffing? 

Sakura slowly opened here eyes, regaining consciousness again. The striking pain had disappeared and she felt nearly herself again; just rather tired from her lack of energy. Sitting up, she found herself propped up against a wall. She vaguely remembered being held in someone's arms, someone that held her with great tenderness, as if she was a delicate flower. "Syaoran…" she whispered. 

Letting her eyes adjust to the darkness of the room, Sakura searched for Syaoran. He had been with her just a minute ago; where was he? She suddenly spotted him standing next to Di Shang, facing off against Kam Un. Di Shang was doing his best to ignore his injured arm but every once in a while, his right hand would move to the cut and try to stop it from bleeding. It was not a deep cut, but it was troublesome and making him lose blood. Kam Un was smiling at them, obviously challenging the Li cousins to attack him. Syaoran was just…Sakura tried to stand up, wanting to help her friends when a voice cut through her thoughts. 

"They have to do this, Card Mistress. They must fight their own battles. Your own battle will come soon and you must save your strength. I have complete faith in you." Sakura recognized the voice. It belonged to Clow Reed! But…how? When she turned her gaze back to Syaoran, she saw him turn to glance at her and his eyes lit up when he saw she had woken up. He smiled reassuringly at her before turning his attention back to his opponent. The sight of his sweet smile etched itself into Sakura's memory. She wanted to see him smile like that more often. 

Kam Un noticed the Card Mistress had awoken as well but didn't pay much attention to it. She was still too weak to put up much of a fight, anyway. "Are you ready?" he asked Syaoran. Syaoran's eyebrows lowered as he glared at Kam Un. 

"What do you think?" 

Author's Note: It's three am and I'm cranky. Not to mention I'm beginning to think this fic is pretty silly, ne? Not much happens and it's just…*sighs* I don't know. You guys hate it, don't you? Do you want me to quit now? (Quit = stop writing)   
By the way, when Kam Un said "Li" those few times, they weren't typos. He was merely calling Syaoran or Di Shang by their last name. Oh, honestly how many people figured out that Chen Chi Yuen was really Kam Un before this chapter? 

*Sakura   
~The Animé Archives Team

   [1]: mailto:taateam@hotmail.com?subject=New%20Cards%20Fan%20Fic



	16. Final Battles

**The New Cards**

Final Battles: Chapter Sixteen 

By: Sakura

Without wasting a second, Kam Un pulled his sword free from the ground and swiftly advanced again. He brought the blade down on Syaoran repeatedly, in quick slashing motions while Syaoran brought his up to block and parry each blow. But in his next movement, instead of using his sword, Kam Un aimed a sharp kick that impacted with Syaoran's sword and threw the Li off balance, causing him to hit the ground. The wooden planks beneath him abruptly collapsed and he fell into a semi-deep pit covered with hay. Sakura's heart caught in her throat when Syaoran disappeared from sight, but she sighed, half-relieved, when she saw his fingers holding onto the ledge. She glanced over at Jiao Wan and caught him watching the entire scene with a bored expression on his face. 

Before that, Di Shang had been looking for an opening so he could help his cousin in the battle, but Kam Un left no openings for him then. Now, with Syaoran out of the way for the moment, Kam Un changed his focus to Di Shang. He attacked ferociously, each time bringing down the blade with more force, while Di Shang attempted to block the blows. Every time their blades met, Di Shang could feel the force of the collided weapons snake its way to the wound on his arm. His left arm throbbed more painfully as time went on. He knew he couldn't take this kind of physical pressure every time. His body did have its limits. 

Pausing in step, Kam Un took out a tiny spherical object and flicked it to the ground. A smoke screen suddenly erupted from the tiny object, blocking everyone's vision. Di Shang tried to wave away the smoke before him, but to no avail. 

Feeling a sharp pain on his left side, Di Shang released his hold on his sword, letting it fall to the ground with a loud clatter, as he gripped his arm and gritted his teeth, trying to bear the pain. Kam Un smirked as he raised his hand up, palm open. A tiny grey orb of energy formed in his hand and he turned it around, directing it at Di Shang. Sakura's widened and she quickly scrambled to her feet. 

Too late. 

Kam Un pushed the orb away, forcing it to fly into the ceiling directly above his opponent, burrowing itself deep. A small explosion followed, causing chunks of wood, tiles, and other debris to collapse, completely burying him. 

"Di Shang!" cried Sakura. She tried to move forward, toward the shower of rubble, but something held her back. 

"Wait," whispered a voice, "you can't help him if you get buried as well." 

"But…" she murmured in response. "He can't survive under there for long, Clow…" 

"Don't worry…" 

By this time, the pieces had settled but the dust still hung in the air like a smoke curtain. Sakura looked up and she could see a hole in the tiled roof, the night sky peering through it. But she could not see the reassuring - though sometimes cold - light of the moon, nor could she see the bright twinkling light of the stars surrounding it. Dark grey clouds seemed to have swallowed them up. Switching her gaze to eye level again, through the dust, she could see nothing but a pile of debris. Her heart sank…Di Shang could be completely trapped under there! When the dust had completely settled, Sakura was already beside the rubble, pulling away broken pieces of wood and tiles. Kam Un watched with amusement while the Card Mistress did what she could to help her friend. The sharp edges from the tiles cut her skin, but she ignored them. All that mattered was her friend. 

In a matter of seconds, movement could be detected from under the wreckage. Underneath, Di Shang tried to place an incantation paper flat against one of the larger planks of wood. He found his sword lying beside him and, using his left hand, for his right arm was pinned under the debris, struggled to pick it up. Holding it up to the paper, he whispered, "Fuuka shourai!" A sudden gust of wind came up and blew away the rubble, leaving Di Shang lying still on the ground, his grip on the heavy sword lost when he collapsed. The fallen particles had been swept into Kam Un's direction, but with a mere flick of the wrist, he blocked each and every object with his sword. Sakura was by Di Shang's side in a second, helping him sit up. 

"Di Shang," she murmured in a frantic tone, "are you okay? Answer me, please!" Hearing his name, Di Shang forced his eyelids open and turned to face Sakura. Her emerald-green eyes shimmered with tears and were filled with concern. 

"I'm okay," he said in a half-whisper. "I'm just fine. Don't worry about me." Without thinking, Sakura placed her arms around Di Shang in a hug, eyes closing. 

"I'm glad. I thought…I almost thought…" she started. Eyes closed, she continued, "you're okay now and that's what matters." 

Bored at the tender scene before him, Kam Un held up his palm again and suddenly called forth another energy orb, unleashing it toward the Card Mistress' direction. Sakura didn't see it, for her back was to the Jiao User, but Di Shang did and he pushed her down, blocking her with himself. Sakura turned back to see the same grey orb as earlier headed toward them again and held on to Di Shang as she shut her eyes tight, waiting for it to impact. Suddenly, there was a flash of light and Sakura's eyelids flew open, in time to see a thunderbolt intercept the energy orb and disintegrate it. Following it was a strong blast of wind that blew away the dust from the fallen debris. Kam Un turned around angrily, wondering at the source. 

Through the smoke behind him stepped in a lone figure; green robes covered in dust, hat falling to the ground. Syaoran stood there, his sword drawn as he finished his spell. "I won't let you hurt them," he said in a low voice. Then the corners of his mouth flitted up in a wry smile. "You didn't forget about me already, did you?" he added dryly. 

"Who could forget?" stated Kam Un with a smirk. Syaoran's smile disappeared as his expression became serious again…and he glared at the User. 

"And you said you were battling me now," he said, "so leave Sakura out of this!" 

Kam Un laughed. "Who said I was fighting only you?" he sneered. "I am battling both Li's here. My shot was aimed at your little cousin. But," he added, smiling widely, "if the Card Mistress chooses to get in the way, it's not my problem…now, is it?" Syaoran immediately glanced over at Sakura and Di Shang who were both sitting up, Sakura helping Di Shang move. 

"Sakura, get out of the way!" he commanded severely. 

"But, Syaoran…" she started. 

"Now!" 

Sakura looked at Di Shang, her eyes filled with fear and worry for both of them. Di Shang placed his hand over hers lightly and smiled reassuringly. He nodded for her to leave. Sakura felt torn. She didn't want to leave this battle, even if it wasn't hers. But they were her friends. She didn't want them to get hurt. And Di Shang needed rest…he had taken a bad hit after all…Sakura bit her lip as she stood up and backed away to the sidelines again. 

Without Sakura's support, Di Shang had a much harder time standing up. His left arm throbbed with pain from the wound and the fallen tiles had broken his right arm. The latter was useless now. But still…Gripping his sword tight with his left hand, Di Shang ignored the flaming pain as he pulled himself up off the ground. Who cared if the pain in his left arm was excruciating? If anything ever happened to Sakura…This was why he couldn't give up. Finding his footing again, Di Shang balanced himself with both feet, his left hand still gripped to the sword. He turned to look at Sakura and mouthed the words, "don't worry", to her. Turning back to face the Jiao User, he fixed a glare on him. Kam Un only laughed. 

"As like at that time at the circus, Li, you still have a warrior's persistence," he commended his opponent. "But," he added, "persistence isn't enough. You have to have power, which is something _you_ lack now and always will." Kam Un lunged at Di Shang and succeeded at driving him into the wall. Suddenly, ropes materialized from the walls again and wrapped around Di Shang, holding him tight. As Kam Un took a step back, the ropes began to glow red. A sharp pain seized Di Shang and he emitted a scream as he struggled against the bonds. Syaoran's eyes widened as he realized what was going on. Kam Un was glowing a faint red now…he was draining away Di Shang's power with those ropes…and making himself stronger. His ropes had the same effect as Jiao Wan's Drain Card. Syaoran turned to glance quickly at Sakura and saw her expression mirrored his…if Di Shang wasn't released soon, he could die… 

Syaoran's grip tightened on his sword. "I won't let that happen!" he cried out, running toward his cousin and bringing his sword down on the ropes binding his cousin. Di Shang gritted his teeth as he forced open his eyelids and saw what his cousin was about to do. 

"Don't do it, Syaoran!" he shouted. But Syaoran's blade had already impacted the ropes. The red energy snaked its way around Syaoran's sword and shocked him as it reached his hands. He dropped his sword as it burned him, the object suddenly becoming too hot for him to even hold on to. Syaoran looked at Di Shang. The ropes now simply bound him, since Syaoran had broken the energy-stealing chain, but his cousin had lost unconscious, leaning limply against the wall. Syaoran looked from his cousin to his hand, the latter still tingling from the slight burn. 

"So that's what you felt," thought Syaoran silently. "I received only a slight pain but you - and Sakura - had to endure the full force of it." He shut his eyes tight for a second, his thoughts turning in his mind. Then he became aware that his cousin's life energy had dropped significantly. It was so weak that he could no longer feel his cousin's presence, even though Di Shang sat less than a metre in front of him. 

Sakura's heart sank when she felt Di Shang's presence disappear. He wasn't…he couldn't be…She shut her eyes tight as well. Her friend couldn't die…he just couldn't! 

"Are you going to fight," a voice asked, cutting into his thoughts, "or are you just going to stand there all day?" Syaoran opened his eyes and fixed a glare at Kam Un, standing several feet away with his arms folded. 

"I won't let you get away with hurting my friends," said Syaoran as he moved to retrieve his broadsword. 

"Oh?" asked the Jiao User, hiding a small smile. "But I already have." More ropes emerged from the wall, binding around Syaoran's arms, legs, and waist, and forcing him against the wall as they retracted back. He knew what would happen next if he didn't try to free himself; his energy would be drained and fed to Kam Un. He couldn't let that happen. Pulling sharply on the ropes, he hit the ground hard. He managed to stretch his hand forward to his sword, a few centimetres away. A shadow fell over him, but Syaoran refused to look up and concentrated on trying to reach his sword, instead. 

Kam Un stared down at the younger boy, knowing that what Syaoran was trying to do was useless. The Jiao User placed his foot on the hilt of the sword and pushed it slightly closer to Syaoran, almost in reach. Syaoran knew he was taunting him, but he ignored that. Finding that Syaoran wasn't taking the bait, Kam Un frowned and viciously kicked the sword far away, into a far corner in the room. He didn't like it when people refused to play along. He had less fun and less satisfaction when he defeated them. 

"You never had a chance of winning," scorned Kam Un as he changed his sword back into his staff, "you should've realized that by now. I controlled everything from day one. You weren't a victim of fate; rather, you were the victim of your own enemy. Also," he added with a cold smile, whispering into Syaoran's ear, "your Cherry Blossom is going to die very soon…and you can't stop me." Before Syaoran could react to the User's last statement, the ropes that fastened him to the wall began to glow red, placing him in a situation not unlike his cousin's. 

Syaoran did his best to bear the pain that took a hold of him. He had been in worse situations before…and he had made it out of them alive…sometimes just barely making it…He should've been able to take this. Even so, a cry of pain was ripped from his throat and, to say the least, Kam Un was enjoying himself immensely. After all, he loved nothing more than seeing others suffer; it was even sweeter if they suffered at his expense. 

But this was the final straw for the Card Mistress. She couldn't watch…she couldn't just watch another one of her friends - one of her best friends - get caught in the same trap. Di Shang was…she didn't know if he was even alive or not anymore! But she couldn't lose Syaoran, too. The thought of living a life without him…it had almost been unbearable once…but she could not go through that ever again! 

"I'm sorry, Clow," she murmured under her breath. "I know it's not time for my battle yet, but I have to interfere. I have to fight. I…I can't let my friends die!" She reached for her key but found it no longer hung on her neck. Then she remembered. Kam Un had her key! He took it from Syaoran just earlier! Sakura's shoulders slumped forward slightly, almost in defeat. Without her star staff…she wouldn't be able to help Syaoran…help anyone! Then, help came from an unexpected source. Suddenly, someone held her star key before her eyes. Sakura looked up and locked eyes with Jiao Wan, who held her key in the palm of his hand. 

"Take it," he told her. Sakura was completely baffled. He was her enemy…wasn't he? Was _he_ trying to help _her_? Jiao Wan studied Sakura silently for a few moments, his expression of complete and utter boredom never lifting. "Don't think for a second that I am trying to help you, Card Mistress," said the older magician sourly. "I am only giving this back to you because the Li's no longer have a chance, and it's your turn. I only want to see you battle my son." He released the key and Sakura caught it before it could reach the ground. Turning around, Jiao Wan walked back to his chair and settled into his seat. Sakura watched him leave, confused, and looked back at her key. She couldn't understand it. But before she could contemplate further, a sharp cry cut through her thoughts like a knife. Syaoran! 

"O key which hides the power of the stars," Sakura began as she held her key before her, "reveal thy true form before me. I, Sakura, command thee under contract. Release!" The key changed to her star staff and Sakura quickly pulled out a card. "Sword!" Her staff transformed into a smooth rapier. "Please," she whispered inaudibly, "please let this be powerful enough to counter Kam Un's magic." In one swift motion, the Card Mistress brought her sword down against the bonds, severing the ties. Syaoran's cries ceased as he fell forward and dropped to the ground, barely conscious. Kam Un turned around angrily, seething at the interference. He had almost completely drained Syaoran's power, but _she_ had to get involved where she didn't belong. Suddenly, the anger dropped from his expression and Kam Un smiled at her pleasantly. 

"You're a little late, Card Mistress," he told her. He turned and delivered a sharp kick to Syaoran's ribs. Syaoran made no response whatsoever. Kam Un glanced over at Sakura, his smile returning as he added, "he's gone, more or less." Sadness could be seen in Sakura's eyes. He…he had no feelings…No care at all…He wasn't the least bit like Chi Yuen…his old self. What had changed him so drastically? Then again, maybe this was his true self. Maybe Chi Yuen had been like this all his life. But she didn't want to believe that. She didn't want to believe that he could really be a bad person. He had to have some good in him left, right? She hoped so. 

Kam Un watched the Card Mistress with interest. Her face was like an open book; everything could be seen clearly through her expressions. She seemed hesitant at that moment. Maybe if he provoked her, she would fight. He was getting bored and wanted to play with something else. "The Li cousins are out of the question now," thought the User with a slight smirk. "That just leaves her…and she doesn't stand a chance…" Kam Un released his grip on his staff and it dropped to the ground in a loud clatter. Sakura looked up, startled out of her thoughts. "Attack me," he said, folding his arms. 

"What?" asked Sakura in surprise. 

"Attack me," repeated Kam Un, impatience in his tone. 

"But…I don't want to fight with you, Chi Yuen." 

"The name's Kam Un! You really _are_ weak, Card Mistress," said Kam Un disgustedly. Picking up his staff, he added, "fine, if you won't attack, I will. The same rules I used for the Li's are now applied to you, except this time, it's a battle between cards." The Jiao book floated into his hands and he opened it, drawing out one of the cards without looking to see which one it was. "Release!" A sudden gust of wind raged throughout the small room, blowing bits and pieces of the fallen building around in a whirlwind. Sakura thought quickly of what could counteract Gust. When she had battled Gust before, Syaoran and Di Shang had been with her, using their lightning ofudas while she used Thunder. The second time she had to fight Gust, Sakura had used the Lightning…but that was a Jiao Card and she no longer had those cards in her possession. The Thunder just wasn't powerful enough alone… 

"It doesn't matter if it's 'weaker'…does it?" whispered Sakura. "Thunder is as strong as I make it. I have to believe Thunder can defeat the Gust, without Lightning and without Syaoran and Di Shang's help…" Before the Gust could come near Sakura, the Card Mistress drew out a Sakura Card, a look of fierce determination on her face. "Thunder!" she cried, releasing it. The visible form of Thunder immediately appeared, static electricity flowing around it. It unleashed a bolt of lightning at the Gust, but the opposing card merely swept it away as if it were a feather in the wind. The card then reverted to its visible form, hovering above Thunder, a taunting smirk on its face…equal to the one Kam Un had on his. 

"No," she murmured quietly, her grip on her staff tightening every moment, "Thunder will defeat Gust…I can't let Kam Un beat me…Thunder has to!" Suddenly, the gold star in her staff glowed brightly and Thunder's power grew, its next attack intensified. In one swift flash, the Gust was caught in a sharp shock and in no time, slowly floated to the ground, sealed in the boundaries of dark yellow borders and blue backgrounds; nothing but a card again. Sakura breathed a sigh of relief and called back Thunder. 

Kam Un cursed silently and glared at her. He quickly drew another card and released it. "Rock!" The short, bulky, broad-shouldered form of the card appeared a few feet in front of her. In less than second, the card drew its hand up, palm facing her, and tiny spikes beginning to form in the center of its palm. Sakura knew she had seen this before, but couldn't remember exactly where. She knew she had been with Syaoran and Di Shang when- That was it! The time they were travelling through the Yangtze River…it was the same attack Di Shang had blocked her from! But she had remembered almost too late. 

"Shield!" she cried, holding up her staff. Instantly, an opaque barrier covered the Card Mistress, protecting her. The few spikes, two centimetres in length, had already left the Rock's hands, aimed at Sakura's midriff. Sakura knew her cards were as strong as she made them, but she abruptly wondered what would happen to her if they weren't. Through that one twinge of doubt, the spikes successfully passed through the Shield, which disappeared into its card form. 

Sakura gasped in surprise, angry with herself for thinking that way. She tried dodging them, remembering how after that incident on the Yangtze, Di Shang had told her that those particular spikes could slowly take away a person's energy, although he didn't know where to. Sakura knew now that all of the energy went to the User, to strengthen him. The spikes missed their mark, but grazed Sakura's shoulders instead, neatly slicing the fabric and cutting her skin. Tiny drops of blood welled up from the mark and Sakura suddenly felt increasingly dizzy and rather tired. She slowly dropped to her knees, unable to support herself on her two legs anymore. 

Laughing out loud, Kam Un withdrew the Rock, knowing it had done part of its job. It had not ridden him of the Card Mistress, but she had lost control, over her magic and herself. There was no chance she would be able to hold up against him any longer. Again, he had given her too much credit. She was far too weak…She would never make it in a battle with Jiao Wan if she couldn't beat his son…whose powers were nothing compared to that of his father's. It was a shame that Clow Read had such a weak successor. Now Jiao Wan would never get to enact the revenge that he had built up for many years now… "Ground," Kam Un said softly, as he selected what he firmly believed to be the last card, "finish her off." He tossed the card in the direction of the Card Mistress and watched as it slowly floated to the ground, still in its card form. If Sakura had felt any hope that the card would not listen to Kam Un, her hopes would have been dashed immediately. As soon as the card touched the ground, it glowed a bright red aura and cracks began running along the floor, breaking up the cement. Sakura, through her dizziness, managed to make her way to a faded red column, still supporting the ceiling, and clutched onto it. 

Sakura knew this card was a mere equivalent to the Earthy, but that comforted her little. The Earthy was one of the strongest elements; defeating it hadn't been easy. Back when the Earthy had attacked Tokyo, it had not only caused earthquakes, but it had created mountains, abruptly growing out of the ground. But this Jiao Card wasn't creating mountains of any size; rather, it violently shook the ground and created dark, endless chasms that grew each second, about to collapse the entire place. Strangely, the walls remained intact, not budging one bit. The area around Kam Un and Jiao Wan was unaffected, as well as the area around both Li cousins. It was only where Sakura was. When she tried moving, Sakura realized it followed her, threatening to swallow her up in its deep, black mouth. 

The mouth suddenly twisted into a smirk as it snatched her away from the column, letting her fall into a deep, seemingly bottomless pit. Sakura took one last look at Syaoran and Di Shang as she was pulled into the darkness and chanced to glance at Kam Un before she fell. His mouth was set in a thin, determined line as he watched her fall, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. His blue eyes were cold and hardened with distaste. And yet…there was something in those eyes…something about them that made Sakura doubt the feelings that Kam Un presented externally. Chi Yuen always looked as if he could love someone, as if he hungered for it…like he had someone he cared for more than anyone else in the world. And Chi Yuen _was_ Kam Un. They were one and the same. Could there really be someone? Before she could think of anything else, the ground closed over her. 

She was trapped in darkness. If there was light, Sakura was unaware of it. As if in a trance, she pulled out her cards, selecting one with her eyes shut. Clow had once told her to trust her instincts, her emotions…her heart. Sometimes the eyes could deceive, but never the heart. A card found its way to her hand and Sakura opened her eyes. Illusion. She knew one way of getting Chi Yuen back…it was almost the same way she got Di Shang back many moons ago. Her foggy mind was cleared and she knew her task. "Fly," she whispered softly. Graceful pink-feathered wings grew out of her back and Sakura soared up high, bursting through the ground and landing lightly back in the room. Kam Un, thinking the Card Mistress had been done for, had put away the cards and was walking to rejoin his father when Sakura burst through, still alive, dizziness long since swept away. This had startled Kam Un completely and he wasn't prepared to attack. The Ground grumbled and shook the ground in protest of losing its victim, but no one noticed. 

"Illusion!" cried Sakura, releasing the card. A little opaque form, in the shape of a woman, slowly fluttered toward the ground, landing gently. She had waist-length blue - blue as the night - hair, which rested lightly on her shoulders in a long, thick braid. Her warm charcoal-grey eyes sparkled in the dim light, and she smiled softy at Kam Un. It took him a few moments, but Kam Un realized whom the figure looked like. He slowly backed away in disbelief, his hearting pounding furiously within his rib cage. At that one sight, Kam Un's hair of dark charcoal changed to one of a midnight blue hue…but only for a split second. "No," he whispered hoarsely, "it can't be. You're…you're dead!" Then he realized something else. Sakura had just released "Illusion". This wasn't the real person he once knew…No, it was only a trick…The trick of a Sakura Card…At that moment, disbelief turned into rage. How dare she! How dare she use this cheap move on him! To make him see the one he missed most…the one he needed more than anyone else…He'll make her pay for that! 

Sakura gaped at the figure, at the woman that had materialized out of thin air. She was…she was very pretty! Who was she? And she asked Illusion to show Kam Un who his true self was, not someone he wanted to see… And then… "Hoe?" she looked down at her hand in surprise. The Illusion was sitting in the palm of her hand. It had landed there after she tried to release it, but failed without realizing it. Sakura gripped the card tight and looked up to see whom Kam Un was facing if it wasn't one of her cards. Illusion always had a solid appearance…but…Sakura could see right through this woman… "Hoe!!" she cried in slight fear. The figure was a real ghost! 

Since Sakura was preoccupied with the ghost in her thoughts, she had not paid attention to Kam Un's actions, until she heard him command, "Drain!", and whirled around to see him as he leapt around the figure, advanced forward, and threw the card straight at the Card Mistress. He somersaulted and landed hard on the ground afterward, rolling away. Sakura regretted her carelessness as she fumbled to find the Shield. But, at that rate, it would have already been too late, except… 

The ghost-like woman threw herself in front of the Card Mistress, creating a shield-like barrier around the girl. The Drain touched the barrier and suddenly shuddered, as if it were repulsed from it, and rebounded back to where it came from. Kam Un, taken by complete surprise, had no chance to escape it, and the Drain attached itself to Kam Un's back and glowed bright, beginning to draw his energy away. The Jiao User cried out in shocked pain as the Drain activated and the same sharp, dark currents tortured him as they have hurt the Card Captors before him. He'd forgotten how much the Drain hurt when it stole your energy and gave it to someone else…by means of a cheap trick…a cheap trick his own _father_ had dreamed up…Mother…would never…have been…so cruel…His thoughts getting mixed up with the pain, Kam Un dropped to his knees, holding his head as he tried his best to "forget" his pain. It was the only way to break free from it…not to let it hurt you…but it had taken so much of his energy already, he didn't think he still had enough power to do it… 

The barrier around Sakura disappeared and returned to its previous form as a woman. Knowing this was a ghost, Sakura felt she ought to be afraid of her…but…there was something about the woman that reminded Sakura of her own mother…and she was never afraid of Nadeshiko. The woman was watching Sakura sadly and when Sakura brought herself to meet the woman's gaze, the woman turned and looked at Kam Un. Sakura was almost positive there was a grievous look in the woman's eyes, the sparkle dimming. And then, as suddenly as she appeared, the woman disappeared and Sakura realized that the Ground was still shaking, making the ground to break up in places, creating small chasms, and cracking walls and columns. The Drain had stopped glowing, however, and fluttered to the ground. Kam Un leaned against a column, panting heavily. He had exerted the rest of his strength to rid himself of that troublesome card. But he had no energy left for anything else. As the ground beneath him shook treacherously, Kam Un staggered on his two shaky legs, trying to regain his balance, and trying to overcome the dizziness coming over him. 

Unseen to the User, a large crack snaked its way around the pillar he was standing by, created by the Ground, until it hit the roof in a small explosion. The column wavered for a moment, as if it were going to fall. Sakura was relieved when it managed to stay in its position, not falling over. But, the Ground would not let another victim escape its hard grasp again, since it had been cheated by its previous victim. A vengeful card, it was rather bloodthirsty and cared little about anything besides itself…as taught by Chen Jiao Wan. With another loud rumble, the base of the column was destroyed and it began to fall. 

Sakura's eyes widened when she saw Kam Un was still directly below the pillar as it crumbled and fell. He hadn't noticed and made no move to get away. "Watch out!" she cried to her opponent. Kam Un looked up at her in surprise, forgetting his lack of energy, then whirled around to see the column about to collapse on him. But all he could do was stand rooted there, not budging even an inch, his energy nearly depleted. He didn't have the will to fight something he would surely lose in. Sakura ran toward him, seeing him stock still, and knocked him to the ground just as it fell, crashing to the ground. Both of them rolled away from the column, the force of Sakura's tackle pushing them away from the danger, finally stopping several metres away. When the pillar finally impacted the ground, both of them shut their eyelids tight, to avoid the heavy dust blowing upward. 

A short while after it fell, although the dust was still in the air and slowly settling to the ground, Kam Un slowly opened his eyelids, one at a time, and looked around the room and himself. Kam Un was flat on his back while Sakura was above him after they had stopped rolling away and he noticed she was protecting him from any loose debris. Her back was covered with a thick layer of dust and some of the fallen chunks from the collapsed column. Kam Un couldn't understand it as his eyes went from the faded red pillar on the ground to Sakura's face, her mouth set in a determined line, her eyelids shut tight, dust fringing her long lashes. Why was _she_ protecting _him_? 

A few moments later, Sakura opened her eyes, wiping the dust from her eyelashes. Then she looked down at Kam Un and smiled weakly. "Are you okay?" she asked him, concern evident in her voice. 

A feeling he couldn't understand exploded within Kam Un. He roughly pushed her over and rolled once. This time he was above her and Sakura was pinned to the ground beneath him. She gave a startled cry, not expecting that in the least. With his two hands pushing her shoulders to the ground and speaking through clenched teeth, Kam Un asked, "why did you save me?" 

"I…I…" Sakura tried to find the words to say it, but she wasn't sure herself why she had saved him. He was trying to kill her after all, and her friends. But still…just something… "I know you're not that bad as you try to be, Kam Un, or you would have killed me a long time ago when I had more vulnerable…I think you still have Chi Yuen in you…And Chi Yuen is a kind person…" Kam Un just stared at her in disbelief. He opened his mouth to give a harsh remark, but couldn't find the words to say it. 

"You're…you're…" Kam Un closed his eyes and fell silent for a few moments. "You're an idiot," he said, finally. He lowered his head to Sakura's level and studied her with his cold blue eyes. Sakura returned his gaze, unflinchingly, her emerald eyes holding something that looked like a mixture of sadness and pity…for him. "I don't care for you, Card Mistress," he said softly, "not at all. If I ever showed 'affection' toward you before, it was merely to anger the Li cousins. It's so easy to make them angry. They both love you so much…" 

His grip on her shoulders tightened and Sakura bit her lip, refusing to let herself cry out. Kam Un continued, but his voice was barely audible and sounded decidedly weaker. "But you...you love everyone…everyone's your friend. Why can't you think anyone is evil? Or capable of evil? That's the person I've become. Hatred for everyone…especially you…but why don't you…hate…me…?" Suddenly, he collapsed and released her from his grip. The Drain and the Ground had really done the User in, and Kam Un fell, completely unconscious. His appearance suddenly changed as well, his hair changing colours and his black robes disappearing. He was only Chi Yuen now…Chi Yuen wearing a simply grey tunic, as opposed to his long black robes, with midnight-blue hair the shade of the night sky, and the gentle charcoal-grey eyes…the same as that woman… 

Sakura suddenly realized that Chi Yuen bore an uncanny resemblance to the ghost earlier. Could she be…? 

"Well done, Card Mistress," said a cold voice, suddenly breaking through her thoughts. Sakura gently moved Chi Yuen to the sidelines, before turning to face Jiao Wan. The latter had risen from his seat and held out his hand; the Jiao book landed in his hand and the released cards returned to their card form and placed themselves back in the book. "Kam Un is finished," he said in the same soft tone. "You must be stronger than we both initially thought…" Silence followed that comment, neither of them breaking eye contact. "But, then," he added with a slight sneer, "perhaps Kam Un is just really a weakling." 

Sakura didn't answer him right away. "I don't want to fight anymore…" she whispered softly, her gaze travelling through the room, at Syaoran, Di Shang, and Chi Yuen, all lying unconscious, and the grip on her staff tightened. Her gaze finally stopped at Jiao Wan. "Why do you want to fight like this? There's no point; it's just hurting people!" Jiao Wan approached her slowly, stopping less than two feet in front of her. 

"I hated Clow Read," he said, speaking in an oddly quiet tone. "I always have and always will. We were merely rivals at one point, fooling around with magic, trying to see who was stronger…all in fun...And then…it all changed and we became enemies. Because of him, my existence was sealed away. And in that time, Clow went ahead and died on me. Even though I'm back now, I'll never get a chance to fight him anymore. Something dead cannot live again. But," he added with a slight sneer, "you're Clow's successor. Since I can't have Clow to defeat, there's always you. You must be stronger than Clow; otherwise you would never have been able to take complete control of his cards and change them to feed from your power." Jiao Wan took another step forward and stared down at her, condescendingly, with his cold dark brown eyes, filled with loathing directed toward the Card Mistress. "You still don't want to fight me?" 

Sakura hesitated for a moment. "Do I even have a choice?" she wondered to herself. "Either way, he's going to fight me. Though, to fight just because of revenge...That's not a good reason to battle! This sort of fighting only lets people get hurt...I don't want anyone else to get hurt...How did Clow seal Jiao Wan away? Without killing him? Could I do that as well?" 

"I'm rather disappointed in you, Card Mistress," spoke Jiao Wan, breaking into Sakura's thoughts. "I expected a good deal more from a successor of Clow Read. Who would have thought he would choose such an unworthy girl to carry on his magic?" Kam Un's staff glowed bright red and flew into Jiao Wan's hand. Sakura's arms and legs suddenly felt like they weighed a ton, for she could hardly move them, as hard as she tried. Jiao Wan had planted an immobilization spell on her. "Unworthy people need to be destroyed, of course. Just like your friends," he added, gesturing toward the Li cousins. "All weak people are fated to die at the hands of those much stronger. Nothing will ever change that." 

Still unable to move, Sakura slowly sank to the ground. As much as she struggled, she couldn't break free and was beginning to realize how futile it was to try. "I'm sorry, Syaoran, Di Shang!" she cried out in her mind. "I completely failed you....and Clow, as well..." 

"Sakura!" 

Sakura looked up in surprise, immediately recognizing Syaoran's voice. But Syaoran was still lying unconscious... 

"That doesn't sound the least bit like you." 

"Syaoran..." whispered Sakura. She was remembering his words from earlier. 

"We can't give up," repeated Syaoran in her mind firmly. "Just because there's a large obstacle in our path doesn't mean we'll let it take over. We have to work hard and conquer it no matter how impossible it seems." 

"Syaoran's right." Sakura changed her gaze to Di Shang. Although he was still unconscious, she could still hear him, just like he was speaking to her. "We can't let ourselves become the victims of our supposed fate," continued Di Shang. "We choose what we want our fate to be...our destiny...our life..." 

"You're both right," whispered Sakura in a quiet voice. "I can't let him do this to us...he can't hurt us like this...he shouldn't be able to." Jiao Wan watched in amazement as Sakura struggled harder against her invisible bonds. Sakura knew she couldn't give up; she had to at least try her best. And yet, all her effort was barely shown. The most she was able to budge was a few centimetres and nothing more. But, even a few mere centimetres worried Jiao Wan. When Clow had been caught in a similar predicament, he hadn't been able to move at all. But that was before they had become enemies and were fooling around, testing their magic on each other. Jiao Wan knew that if he were able to get Clow into the same situation again, he could defeat Clow once and for all. But it never happened that way. Jiao Wan would _not_ let Clow's successor escape from him. 

"Maybe you really are stronger than Clow, Card Mistress," said Jiao Wan in a soft tone. "But, you aren't - and never will be - stronger than me." Jiao Wan raised his staff once more, the object glowing a bright red light. The immobilization effect grew much stronger. 

Sakura gasped as she her earlier efforts to move her arms and legs diminished with the added spell. It was as if heavy chains had been attached to her again and she couldn't escape. "Come on, move!" she screamed silently at her body, barely able to budge an inch. It was completely useless; nothing responded. 

Jiao Wan stood overhead, simply laughing at her helplessness. He had never laughed in so long...It was so good to know victory was assured to him now. He could finally get his revenge on Clow Read. Di Shang could hear the laughter, but he was too far-gone already and could do nothing to help the Card Mistress…and the one he loved. Syaoran heard it as well and it penetrated his mind like a well-shot arrow. He struggled to open his eyes and to force himself to his feet. He still had to protect her…after all, he promised… 

"It's time for you to go, Card Mistress," hissed Jiao Wan. "I have to say I'm still very disappointed in you. I really did expect a much better fight from a successor of Clow Read. But now it's time to say goodbye." A small black orb of energy formed in Jiao Wan's hands and he kept feeding it with his dark aura. Then he released it, aimed straight at Sakura. 

"No, Sakura!!" cried Syaoran, his eyes widening in shock. 

Sakura's scream rang through the dead silence of the night. 

Author's Note: Okay…that was mean…I shouldn't have done that. It was so mean…*hides from angry readers* Gomen nasai! (I'm using Japanese now? o_O) Cliffhangers…always leave the readers ready to kill the author, ne? If you kill me, I can't continue, right? ^_~ Look at the bright side. This chapter is the longest one yet!! ^_^ 

Oh no! What's going to happen to Sakura? She can't die, right? She's the heroine! But you never know…Would Sakura die or miraculously survive? And what about Syaoran and Di Shang? What's going to happen to them? Geez, even _I_ hate cliffhangers. -_- 

One of the main reasons this chapter took so long to come out is because fight scenes aren't my specialty. *sighs* I find I can't write a decent battle scene. Even though I had the main idea memorized for more than a year (that's such a long time…can you believe it? I still can't…), trying to write it became next to impossible. o_O 

One more thing that I'll tell you all ahead of time; as soon as I finish this fic, I plan to rewrite it. When I first started, most of my information relied on Cardcaptors. But since then, I got the entire series, movies, and read the manga. My information has then switched to Cardcaptor Sakura. I'm going to rewrite it slightly and make a few corrections (such as Sakura's chant). I've also started using Sakura's word, "hoe", in this chapter. Hoe can be used in two ways. "Hoe?" is questioning, sort of like "huh?". "Hoe!" is sort of a cry/scream, such as when she thinks of ghosts and other 'scary' things. And, it's pronounced "ho-eh", not "ho". 

Thank you for all your wonderful reviews! This chapter would've taken even _longer_ to be posted if it weren't for you all! The reviews always cheer me up when I'm feeling down! 

*Sakura   
~The Animé Archives Team


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